The Avatar's Guardian
by Avatar Wolfheart
Summary: Xena was saved by Avatar Roku when she was a baby and became bound to the next Avatar in the cycle. She lives to defend him but what happens when she meets her opposite. - Zuko/OC, Part 1/3 of The Guardian Spirit Trilogy.
1. Prologue

When I was born I didn't cry or scream or anything babies are supposed to do when they're born. No I did nothing because I was almost dead. My mother said I didn't even open my eyes but why would I after all I was blind. My mother and father did what they could but it was the Avatar that saved my life by tapping into his inner waterbender. He healed me but it came with a price and luckily not a bad price. I became linked to the next Avatar in the cycle and gained what firebenders call heat vision as well as regular sight. A year and a half after that the new Avatar was born and then is those twelve years I met the Avatar, an airbender named Aang.

**The next chapter will be posted soon. Please point out any mistakes you may come across and no flames please.**


	2. Ch1:The Boy and Girl in the Iceberg

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_**Book One:Water**_  
_**Chapter One: The Boy and Girl in the Iceberg**_

"Xena," Aang screamed my name as we fell and somehow I managed to grab his outstretched hand. We hit the cold water with a splash and my hand was yanked from his grasp. My vision started to fade black but I can still sense Aang's heat in the water. I feel his power surge up and run through me as he whips air around us. I feel power run through me as well and I cut through water up behind him and set my hands on his shoulders.

**Honor is earned never given.**

I hit the snow hard my head colliding with a chunk of ice. I growl and push myself up just as i hear Aang's voice. "Will you go penguin sledding with me."

"Ah... sure, I guess..." a young girl's voice responds. I groan and push myself up sensing three heat sources over the ridge of ice in front of me.

"Xena, Appa. Are you alright?" Aang says scrambling over the ridge.

"Yeah," I mumble and push myself up as Aang turns to Appa.

"Wake up buddy." He says and tries to lift the giant head. Appa's tongue suddenly comes out and licks Aang. He laughs and hugs the bison's nose, "ha-ha you're ok."

"Of course he's okay," I say, "he's Appa."

"What is that thing?" a boy inquires. I recognize that the style of his clothing is of the Southern Water Tribe.

"This is Appa, my flying bison." Aang answers.

The boy raises his eyebrow then replies sarcastically, "Right... and this is Katara my flying sister."

Appa starts breathing in sharply and Aang ducks covering his head with his hands as the bison sneezed. The boy is covered in green snot as Appa sneezes.

"Don't worry it'll wash out," I say pushing myself up out of the snow.

"So do you guys live around here?" Aang asks.

"Don't answer that! Did you see that crazy bolt of light; they was probably trying to signal the fire navy." the boy says to the girl behind him.

"Oh yeah I'm sure he's a spy for the fire navy," his sister began sarcastically, "you can tell by that evil look in thier eyes." Aang quickly put on an innocent face trying to prove her right.

"I'm Katara, and the paranoid one is my brother. You never told us your names."

"I'm a-a-a-ah-ah choo!" Aang sneezes and flys up fifteen feet in the air. He comes sliding back down the ridge and as if nothing happened says, "I'm Aang and this is my friend Xena."

"You just sneezed and flew ten feet into the air." Sokka says.

Aang looks up and said, "Really it felt higher than that."

"It was more like fifteen,' I supply.

Katara exclaims, "You're an airbender."

"Sure am." Aang replies oblivious to how she worded it.

"Giant bolts of light, bison, airbenders, I think I have midnight sun madness. I'm going home to where things make sense." Sokka said while walking away until he noticed that they were stranded.

Aang jumps to the reins on Appa's head and sits down. "Well if you're stuck, Appa and I could give you a lift." I sigh and climb up Appa's side and into the saddle.

"We would love a ride." Katara agrees happily while Sokka says, "Oh no! There is no way I'm getting on that fluffy snot monster." I ignore them and shuffle through my bag strapped to Appa's saddle finally finding what I was looking for. I pull my two swords from inside my bedroll and pulled the swords over my back so the hilts were a few inches above my waist and the tips were poking above my shoulder. I then pull the thick jacket I had gotten from the bag over the top so they can't be seen.

Katara asks Sokka, "Are you hoping some other monster will come and offer you a ride home, before you freeze to death?" Sokka opens his mouth to say something but thinks better of it and let's Aang pull him into the saddle.  
"Yip yip!" Aang whips the reigns and Appa jumps into the air but landed in the water instead. "Come on Appa, yip yip." Aang says. I sigh and lean back against the side of the saddle before moving to sit next to Aang on Appa's head. The sun starts to go down a few minutes later and I watch shifting silently next to Aang.

Katara leans over the saddle and asks, "Hey can I ask you something?"  
"Sure..." Aang replies.

"It's just that I was wondering... with you being an airbender and all if you knew what happened to the Avatar."

He stutters as he says, "No I didn't know him... I mean I knew people who knew him but not me... sorry."

Katara shifts back into the saddle then called back, "Ok I was just curious. Well good night."

"Aang," I hiss lowly.

"I'm sorry it just kinda came out," he said in a low voice. I glare at him before laying back on Appa's head. We sit there in silence for a few minutes and I can see the way his heat waves ripple guiltily.

'It's probably for the best," I say before drifting off to sleep.

**Honor is earned by doing what is right not what is expected**.

_Wham_. "Holy koala's," Katara shouted. I open my eyes and glare at Aang who had recoiled sharply from the punch he had just received to the face.

"It's fine," Aang says, "that happens all the time."

"But she just punched you in the face," Katara said staring wide eyed at me.

"It's called not being a morning person," I grumble and push myself up from the bed. Aang smiled at my remark and I eye the red mark on his cheek. "Sorry Aang," I say.

"I'm used to it by now," Aang says. Katara rolled her eyes and grabbed both of our sleeves pulling us from the tent.  
Sokka was sitting outside the tent sharpening his boomerang. Katara dragged us in front of a small group of people."Aang, Xena this is the entire village," Katara begins," entire village this is Aang and Xena." He bows respectively to them but they step back fearfully.

"Why are they looking at me like that, did Appa sneeze on me?" He asks looking down at his clothes.  
An old woman steps out in front and says, "It's just that we haven't seen an airbender in a hundred years. We thought they were extinct until my granddaughter and grandson found you."  
"Aang, Xena this is my grandmother," Katara says.

"Call me Gran-gran."

Sokka walks over to Aang grabbing his staff, "Is this a weapon? You can't stab anything with this."

Aang takes back the glider and airbended it open to Sokka's gasps of shock. He laughs while opening it, "it's not for stabbing, it's for air bending."

One of the children clapped their hands in glee, "Magic trick! Do it again."

He shakes his head, "not magic, airbending. It lets me control the air currents around my glider and fly."

Sokka says, "Last time I check humans can't fly."

"Check again," I say just as Aang grins swinging his glider to his back and jumps into the air hooking his feet over the top of the tail end of his glider as he does. He shows off for a few minutes before crashing right into a watch tower made of snow.

"My watch tower!" Sokka shouts. I walk forward and haul Aang out of the damp snow. Sokka runs over to his watch tower and starts to dig but stops when a clump of snow falls on his head. He stood up then turned to us. "Great! You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender. Now you can just waste your time all day long."

"You're a waterbender." Aang asks Katara as she walks up to him.

"Well sort of... not yet." She says and I can hear the sadness that tinges her voice.

Gran-gran comes up to us and puts her hand on Katara's shoulders, "Come on Katara you have chores to do." She follows Gran-Gran back to the tent.

"Dude what happened to your face?" Sokka suddenly asks noticing the bruise starting to form on Aang's cheek.

"Xena hit me," Aang says cheerfully and I blush faintly turning my back to them.

"Monkey socks," I cuss under my breath before walking over to join Appa.


	3. Ch2: The Avatar Returns

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**Book One:Water**

**Chapter Two: The Avatar Returns**

I saw the flare go up from where I sat with Appa and heard Sokka's shout of anger. I stood up and walked over to him. "I can't believe it he's signaling the Fire Nation."

"Aang wouldn't do that," I said. Aang and Katara came running into camp before he could say anything.

The children from the village ran up to them yelling happily, "Yay Aang's back." Sokka stepped forward and pointed at Aang, "I knew it, you signaled the Fire Navy with that flare. You're going to lead them straight to us."

"Aang didn't mean to do anything, it was an accident." Katara tried to interject.

"Yeah we were on the ship and there was this booby trap. And well we... we boobied right into it." Aang said sheepishly. I frowned and glared at him and slowly moved my hand to where the hilt of my left hand sword was.

Gran-Gran stepped forward and said. "Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger."

"Don't blame Katara. I brought her there... it is my fault." Aang tried to explain.

"Ah-ha! The traitor confesses. Warriors away from the enemy. The foreigners are banished from our village." Sokka says and my hand moves closer to the hilt as I walk over to join Aang.

"Sokka you're making a mistake." Katara shouted.

"No I'm keeping my promise to dad, by protecting you from threats like them," he said while pointing at Aang again.

"Aang's not our enemy. Don't you see? He has brought us something we haven't had in awhile, fun."

"Fun! You can't fight fire benders with fun."

"You should try it some time," Aang says and I drop my hand onto his shoulder angrily.

"Gran-gran, please don't let Sokka do this." Katara begged turning to her grandmother.

"Katara, you know that going on that ship is forbidden. Sokka is right; I think its best that the airbender and his friend leave."

"Fine then I is banished too! Come on Aang lets go." Katara grabs Aang's arm and started to pull him to Appa.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sokka demanded.

"To find a water bender. Aang is taking me to the North pole."

Aang said shocked, "I am? Great!"

"You would really choose him over your own tribe? Your own family?" the young warrior asked dully.

I gave Aang a hard look."Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family." Aang said obviously not wanting to be the cause of anymore trouble.

"So you're leaving the south pole. So this is goodbye..?"

"I guess... Thanks for penguin sledding with me."

"Where will you go?"

"I guess we'll go back home and look for the airbenders..." Horror crept across his face "I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years... not looking forward to that. Well it was nice meeting everyone." He used airbending to jump onto Appa's head. I ran up Appa's tail and jumped into the saddle.

"Let's see your bison fly now, air boy." Sokka taunted.

"Come on Appa you can do it. Yip Yip!" Appa just got up with a low growl and began to walk away.

"Yeah, I thought so." Sokka shouted.  
Suddenly one of the children ran up from behind us and called, "No Aang, don't go! I'll miss you."

I'll miss you too." Aang and turning Appa walked off into the tundra. "Come on boy." he said giving a little flick to the reins.

Katara yelled in anger, "Are you happy? There goes my one chance of being a waterbender." Aang sighed softly and I growled and fought the urge to hit him in the back of the head.

**What's right isn't always what is easy.**

"I must say Aang I thought you would have learned by now," I say and shift my weight forward to glare down at the younger boy.

"I'm sorry Xena I thought-"

"No you didn't think," I cut him off and then sighed, "look Aang I understand that it's hard being the Avatar but we have to do what's right and what's right isn't-"

"Always easy. I know," he says and then looks over my shoulder. "Xena look." I spin around and look behind me to see a Fire Nation ship heading to the village.

"Appa stay here. Aang come on," I shouted and took off across the snow.

Doing what is expected makes you predictable.

I lean forward on the back of the penguin that Aang had thought would make us go faster. Aang knocked a teenager with two daggers made of fire to the ground and the children cheered until his penguin covered them in snow. Sokka says, "Hi Aang, thanks for coming." Aang held his staff expertly and his grey eyes were determined. He quickly swiped snow at his opponent with his staff and the snow fell on all of the soldiers. The firebender melted the snow off while the others brushed it off.

"Looking for me?" Aang said. I smiled faintly glad that something I had said had finally been demonstrated back to me.

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?" the firebender says and the villagers let out a collective gasp.

Katara said, "Aang?"

"No way," Sokka whispered. Aang shifted into a fighting stance confirming all the suspicions and started to circle with the firebender.

"I spent years training, meditating. You're just a child!"

Aang gave cocked his head before saying, "Well you're just a teenager." He straightened from his fighting stance and I growled at his stupidity. The firebender launched fire at Aang and he swirled his staff to deflect it. Flames lapped at the edge of his twirling staff. The flames grew larger as they were launched until they were flying of the sides of the glider. Villagers screamed and cowered as the flame jumped of his staff. Aang spins his staff down to his side, "If I go with you will you leave everyone alone?"

The firebender nodded and Aang lowered his arms and let them grab his staff from him. They then proceeded to push him towards the ship.

"Aang,"I said stepping forward but halted when he gave me a hard look.

"No Aang, don't do this." Katara says stepping forward as well.

"Don't worry, Katara, I'll be fine. Just look after Appa until I get back." He replies.

"Set a course for the Fire Nation. I'm going home." I heard the shout of the teen from the ship and my hand clench into fists. A surge of anger makes me spin around and walk to the edge of the village. As soon as I'm clear from the village I let my anger flow harder and take off running my only thoughts to reach Appa. Appa groaned as soon as I came into sight and I slow down. My anger slowly evaporates but not completely I jump onto his head and urge him to take flight but for some reason turning back to the village.

I'm just in time to here Katara say "We'll never catch a warship with a canoe."

"Well then, I guess it's a good thing you have Appa," I say as Appa walked up to them

"You just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don'tcha?"Sokka complains.

"… Go. Fly. Soar. Ascend," Sokka says dully from Appa's saddle.

"Please Appa, come on," Katara asks, flicking the reins. "Aang needs your help, he's in trouble."

I try to ignore the watertribe siblings as I focus on my link to Aang.

"Up. Ascend. Elevate," Sokka continues to say.

"Come on Appa," Katara encouraged. "I know you can fly, but Sokka doesn't think you can. But you'll have to prove him wrong, won't you? Come on Appa, fly! We've got to save Aang!"

"What was it she kept saying to him?" Sokka asks. "He kept saying something. Yeehaw? Hup hup? Wahoo? "

I felt a power surge rush through me and suddenly I knew where Aang was. "Yip yip," I shout lunging forward. Appa lets out a loud groan. His tail slaps the ice twice before he takes off into the sky. I land on his head and take the reins from Katara.

"He's flying!" Katara he's flying! He can really-!' Sokka says excitedly then on seeing mine and Katara's faces says "I mean, great, so what, he can fly."

**When you're predictable you're vulnerable.**

Aang turns a big goofy grin on his face as he shouts,"Appa."

"Look out Aang," I shout as I see the scarred firebender shoot a flame at Aang. Aang barely manages to deflect it and after several more shots he is forced to jump onto the railing without his glider. He was hit by a pretty strong blow and went falling into the sea below. "Aang," Katara and I scream his name as he's launched into the water.

The water begins to glow blue and Aang comes up out of the water his tattoos glowing. He landed on the ship and threw his hands out sending a surge of water at the firebenders. Several hit the railing and Aang started to drop from exhaustion. I land Appa on the deck and before dropping from Appa's head to the deck. Katara runs forward and supports Aang as he collapses.

"Thanks for coming." He murmurs

"Well I couldn't let you have all the glory." Sokka replies.

"I dropped my staff." Aang says weakly.

"Got it." Sokka says while running off. I growl and yank my swords from my back as Icharge a group of Fire Nation soldiers.

I heard Sokka shout in victory, "That's from the Water Tribes." The last group of soldiers are frozen before I can get to them. I sigh and jump onto Appa's back.

"Hurry up Sokka," Katara yelled.

"Just a guy with a boomerang, " Sokka complains, chipping faster at the ice around his feet. "I didn't ask for all of this flying, and… and magic!" He breaks free, grabbing Aang staff he streaked towards Appa. Sokka runs up the bison's tail, yelling "yip yip!"

"Shoot them down!" came the cry from the ship, and I recognized the voice as the scarred teen. Aang leapt up and angrily swung his staff. A huge gust of air redirected the fireball into the ice wall beside us. Huge chunks of snow and ice plummeted directly onto the Fire Navy ship.

**Earn your honor with your own hard work.**

"Why didn't you tell us you are the Avatar?" Katara asks.

"Because I never wanted to be..." he says.

"But the world has been waiting for the Avatar to return and put an end to the war." Katara replies.

"And how am I going to do that? I'm just one kid."

"Well the legend says you have to learn water, than earth and then fire." Katara says.

He looked up, "That's what the monks told me..."

"Well we could go to the north pole to learn waterbending." Katara tells him

"We can learn it together!"

Katara smiled and continued "And Sokka you will be able to knock some Fire Nation heads in along the way."

Sokka replies eagerly, "I'd like that, I'd really like that."

"And of course I'll be there to protect you Aang," I say smiling.

Beaming, Katara cried, "Then we're in this together!"

Using his bending, Aang floats down into the saddle to look at the map. "Ok but before we learn waterbending we have some serious business to attend to. Here... here... and here." he gestures to three different points.

"What's there?" Katara asked with curiosity.

While pointing to the places again he tells us, "Over here we'll ride the hoping lamas, then way over here we'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish and back over here we'll ride the hog-monkeys. They don't like people riding them, but that is what makes it fun." I laugh and relax against the side of the saddle.


	4. Ch3: The Southern Air Temple

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**Book One:Water**

**Chapter Three: The Southern Air Temple**

"Wake up Xena, Sokka. Air Temple here we come." Aang's voice breaks through my sleep. I sigh and sensing where his heat waves are at I kick him in the back.

"Xena," Aang said.

I sit up and say, "just because you stand far enough away that I can't punch you in the face doesn't mean I won't lash out.

"Touche," he says and then glares at Sokka.

I stand up and grab a stick off the ground and begin running it along Sokka's sleeping bag then cry in fake terror. "Quickly, Sokka, get up! There's a prickle snake in your sleeping bag!"

Sokka jumps up screaming, "Ahhh! Get it off! Get it off!" and then falls flat on his face.

"Great, you're wake. Let's go." Aang says faking surprise when Sokka glares at us in annoyance.

Five minutes later we are up in the air. I heard Sokka's stomach growl loudly and he mutters, "hey, be quiet stomach. I'm trying to find us some food." After a bit more rustling in a bag he calls, "hey! Who ate all my blubbered seal jerky?" I turn to see an empty bag in his hand.

"That was food? I used it to start the campfire last night... sorry." Aang says from atop Appa's head.

"You what? Awww... No wonder the flames smelt so good..." Sokka complains.

"Look, it is the Patola Mountain range! We're almost there!" Aang crys joyfully.

In a mournful voice Katara says, "Aang, before we get to the air temple, I want to talk to you about the airbenders"

"What about them?"

"Well I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless... they killed my mother... they could have done the same to your people."

"Just because nobody has seen an air bender doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all. They probably escaped-." he replies and I can tell he's trying to convince himself more than her.

"Aang I know it is hard to accept but-"

"Katara," He cuts her off, "you don't understand. The only way to an air bender temple is on a flying bison and I doubt the Fire Nation had any flying bison. Right buddy?" Appa gave a grunt in we reached a steep cliff Aang calls "Yip yip," to get Appa to fly faster. I grab the side of the saddle as Appa tilts straight upward. We rose over the ridge and right in front of us was the blue roofs of the temple. "There it is... the Southern Air Temple."

"Aang it's amazing!" Katara cries out in awe.

**You aren't weak.**

****Aang runs off ahead leaving me and the siblings to catch up. He turns to us, "So that's where my friends and I would play air ball and over there is where the bison would sleep and..." he trails off.

"What's wrong Aang?" Katara ask.

"It's just this place used to be full with monks and lemurs and bison... and now it is just full of weeds. I can't believe how much has changed." with a sigh he turns to the desolate scene in front of us. The wind ruffles my cloths lightly. I sigh and place a hand on his shoulder.

Catching on to Aang's dark mood Sokka pips up and asks, "So how was this air ball game played?"

Smiling, he quickly explains the game. "The idea is to hit the ball through your opponents goal while staying on the poles and protecting your own. It is a game based on balance, reflexes, quick thinking and fast movements. We used our bending to propel the ball and move while keeping our balance so it was a lesson in itself."

"That sounds like fun. Wanna have a round before we continue."

"Why not, but I'm not going easy on you. Meet you down there." He runs off but is back soon holding a ball.

"Aang seven. Sokka zero."

"Hey Aang there is something you need to see." Katara calls out. I glance over before turning back to Aang to catch the ball he throws at me.

"Ok."He calls we head over and he asks "What's up?"

"It's just a new water bending move I learnt." Katara says. I look down at Sokka buried under the snow.

"Cool! But enough practicing. We have an entire temple to see." He says.

Reaching the entrance we see a statue of an old monk. Turning to the siblings Aang says, "Hey guys I want you to meet someone."

"Who is it Aang?"

"Monk Gyasto, the best airbender in the world. He taught Aang everything he knows." I answer and we bow in respect.

Katara walked up to him and touched his shoulder, "You must miss him."

"Yeah."

He walks off. "Where are you going?" Katara asks.

"The air temple sanctuary. There is someone I am ready to meet." he continues not bothering to see if we're following.

"Aang I'll be right back," I say and he nods to me. I walk back out to the airball field and bend the snow from the spot where Katara had been earlier. I gasp and sit down with a soft thump staring at the Fire nation helmet on the ground. "No way" I gasp and I stand up to look around. I come to a stop in the training field and look at the skeletons spread out across the area. "No," I sob and hit the ground with a thud. I cry quietly for a few seconds when a rage rocks me back. "Aang," I gasp and run towards where I can sense him at.

By the time I got to where Aang was he was no longer in danger of entering the Avatar State and Katara was hugging him. "Aang," I whisper and walk up to him and then I see the source of his anger. Resting up against the wall is Monk Gyatso. I drop to my knees next to Aang. Katara moves to the side and I pull Aang into a hug. "It'll be okay Aang," I say.

"I really am the last airbender," he sobs into my shoulder.

**Unless you believe you are.**

"How is Roku meant to help me when I can't even talk to him?" Aang suddenly yells.

"Maybe you'll find a way." Katara tells him and I nod in agreement. A soft sound behind us makes us turn to find the lemur from before holding a pile of fruit which he then proceeded to drop by Sokka who quickly shoved it in as fast as he could.

"Looks like you made a new friend Sokka." I say.

"Can't talk. Must eat." The lemur then ran up Aang and curled around his neck and head. "Hey there little guy."

As we reached Appa Aang turned to face his old home. "You, I, Xena and Appa are all that is left of this place. So we gotta stick together. Katara, Sokka, Xena, say hello to the newest member of our family."

"What are you going to name him?" Katara asks .

"I think I will call him Momo." he declares.


	5. Ch4: The Kyoshi Warriors

_**Previously on Avatar...Using his bending, Aang floats down into the saddle to look at the map. "Ok but before we learn waterbending we have some serious business to attend to. Here... here... and here." he gestures to three different points.  
"What's there?" Katara asked with curiosity.  
While pointing to the places again he tells us, "Over here we'll ride the hoping lamas, then way over here we'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish**_

"I really am the last airbender," he sobs into my shoulder.

**\**

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**Book One:Water**

**Chapter Four: The Kyoshi Warriors**

We all gathered around the map and then Sokka asked the question that we were all dying to know the answer to, "You have no idea where you are going do you.

"I know it's near water."

"Oh, I guess we must be getting close then." Sokka replies sarcastically as he looked out over the endless expanse of ocean. Aang looked up at Katara sitting at the front of the saddle, stitching the hole in Sokka's pants.

"Momo, marbles please." Momo dove into Aang's shirt then popped back out and sitting on the young boy's shoulder, placed three marbles in the boy's hand. "Hey, Katara," he said, "Check out this Airbending trick."  
The marbles in his hand began spinning rapidly in a circular motion between his palms, due to Aang's airbending and Aang grinned up at the preoccupied Katara.

"That's great, Aang." Katara muttered, completely focused on fixing Sokka's pants to pay attention to the young Airbender.

The smile fell from Aang's face and he closed his hands over the marbles which stopped their spinning, "You didn't even look."

"That's great!" Katara said with more enthusiasm as she turned to look at Aang.

"But I'm not doing it now." Aang muttered, looking slightly crestfallen at the girl.

"Stop bugging her, Airhead," Sokka said, "You need to give girls space when they do their sewing."

I sat up, and glared at Sokka. Apparently Katara was just as irritated with her brother's comment as I was.

"What does me being a girl have to do with sewing?" Katara asked, her tone screaming 'danger.'

"Simple," Sokka explained obviously, "Girls are better at fixing pants than guys and guys are better at hunting and fighting and stuff like that. It's just the natural order of things."  
The flat expression on Katara's face suddenly became a cheerful one.

"All done with your pants and look what a great job I did!" Katara exclaimed, Showing him the large hole she didn't sew up before tossing Sokka's pants at his face.  
"Wait!" Sokka begged, pulling the pants from his face, "I was just kidding! I can't wear these! Katara please! He stuck his arm through the hole.

"We just made a pit stop yesterday. Don't you think we should get a bit more flying before we camp out again?" Sokka asks jumping down from Appa.

"He's right. By this rate we won't make it to the North Pole by spring." I say.

"But Appa's tired already. Aren't you boy?" Aand says then nudges Appa "I said, aren't you boy?" Appa lets out an almost believable growl.

"Yeah, that was real convincing. But still it's hard to argue against the ten ton magical monster." Sokka says.

"Look," Aang points to the water as a giant koi jumps from the water. "That's why we're here. Elephant Koi and I'm going to ride it. Katara you got watch me." Aang takes off his clothes and jumps into the water. "COLD!" He shouts upon hitting the water.

After he surfs around for a while Katara comments," he looks pretty good out there."

"Are you kidding? The fish is doing all the work." I look over his shoulder and notice Appa trying to eat a rock.

"No Appa don't eat that," Katara and I shout at the same time running over to the giant bison.  
"There's something in the water," we hear Sokka say.

"What's wrong," Katara asks.

"Aang's in trouble," Sokka says.

"Aang," Katara shouts.

"Get out of there," I scream waving my arms to get his attention.

"Come back here Aang," Sokka shouts. Suddenly Aang was launched of the giant elephant koi's back. I watch as a large fin arched out of the water. Aang suddenly jumps out of the water and runs like a maniac for shore. He was going to fast and slammed into Sokka. Both of them are knocked back into a tree covered in snow. Aang quickly stands up and gets dressed.

"What was that?" Katara asks her voice shaky.

"I don't know," he replies.

Getting up and dusting himself off, Sokka says determinedly, "And lets not stick around to find out. Let's hit the road."

I sense a flash of heat and barely manage to dodge the green and black blur that comes after me. Someone's leg swipes mine out from under me and I crash backwards only to have my hands tied behind my back and a blindfold tied over my eyes. "Or we could stay awhile..." I mumble into the sand.

**Unless you believe you are.**

We were tied to a wooden pole still blindfolded. "You three have some explaining to do." A man's voice orders.

Another voice that I can tell is female adds, "And if you don't answer all of our questions we're throwing you back into the water with the Unagi." So that is what it is called, I thought while pulling at my restraints.

"Show yourselves cowards!" I hear Sokka yell. The blindfold is yanked off ruffly. An elderly man surrounded by a group green and black armored girls stand in front of us. Their faces are painted white, red and black and I recognize the paint and outfit that belong to the Kyoshi warriors. Sokka asks. "Who are you and where are the men that ambushed us?"

One of the girls steps forward and I recognize her as the girl that spoke earlier as she says. "There were no men. We ambushed you. Now tell us who are you and what are you doing here?"  
"Wait a second. There's no way a bunch of girls took us down." Sokka says.

The lead warrior grabs his collar, "I bunch of girls, huh? The Unagi is going to eat well tonight."

"No don't hurt him!He didn't mean it. My brother is just an idiot sometimes." Katara says.

"It's my fault. I'm sorry we came here. I wanted to ride the elephant koi."

"How do we know you're not Fire Nation spies? Kyoshi has stayed out of the war so far and we intend to keep it that way."

"Wait, this island is named for Kyoshi? I know Kyoshi!" Aang nearly shouts.

"How could you know her? Avatar Kyoshi was born here four hundred years ago." the elderly man says, "she's been dead for centuries.

"I know her because I'm the Avatar." Aang says  
"That's impossible! The last Avatar was an airbender that disappeared over a hundred years ago."

"That's me."

"Throw the imposter to the Unagi." The warriors of Kyoshi unfurl metal fans and began to advance on us. I fought with the rope on my wrist trying to break free so I could grab my swords until I heard Katara whisper for Aang to do something . The ropes snap as Aang uses his bending.

"It's true, you are the Avatar..." the elder whispered.  
Caught up in the attention Aang pulled out his marbles. "Now check this out." He started to spin the marbles with his bending and I mentally face palmed.

**Because you can only be you.**

"Alright dessert for breakfast. These people sure know how to treat an Avatar." Aang says grabbing food from the table. "Katara you've got to try these."

"Well, maybe just a bite." Katara says taking one of the sweets.

"Sokka what's your problem eat," Aang says glancing over at Sokka. I grab an apple from a bowl of fruit.

"I'm not hungry," he grumbles.

"But you're always hungry," Aang says confused.

"He's just upset because I bunch of girls kicked his butt yesterday." Katara says.

"They snuck up on me." Sokka whins.

"Right... and then they kicked your butt." Katara teased back.

"Sneak attacks don't count!" he jumps up and walks off mumbling,"Tie me up with rope... I'll show them a thing or two." A few seconds later he's back and after grabbing food from the table he says. "I'm not scared of any girls. Who do they think they are anyway?" I watched him walk away again, mumbling again," mm! this is tasty."

"What is he so angry about? It is great here; they're giving us the royal treatment." Aang says. I roll my eyes, stand up, and follow Sokka.

I walk down the street towards the Kyoshi Dojo. I stop in the doorway and lean against the door as Sokka enters. "Sorry ladies didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson. I was just looking for somewhere to get a little workout." I smile faintly and watch as they talk and eventually start fighting. I turn already knowing how it's going to end. I make my way down to the beach and sit on the sand for several minutes. Finally I rise smoothly to my feet and pull the swords from my back. I move gracefully across the sand going from one form to the other finally ending with the Dragon whip. I take a deep breath and slide the swords back into the sheaths on my back.

I hear a shout from behind me and turn to see a Kyoshi warrior gesturing to me.

**Make your own choices.**

The streets are deserted. Some of the warriors are hid behind buildings others on top of them like me. "Come out Avatar! You can't hide from me forever." a call comes up from Zuko and after awhile he tells his men, "Find him."

Several Kyoshi warriors run from their hiding place and dismounted the komodo rhino's riders. I jump down from the roof and kick Zuko out of the saddle onto the ground. He shoots fire at me but I skillfully dodge the blasts then jump forward swinging on sword at his head the other at his stomach. He blocks my swords with his forearms and then kicks me in the stomach. He starts to shoot fire at me but suddenly Sokka is standing in his way and I almost laugh as I see he's dressed in a Kyoshi warrior's armor. While Zuko is distracted by Sokka, Suki comes from practically nowhere and knocks him flying. He stands up and kicks out a ring of fire before shouting "Nice try Avatar but these little girls can't save you."

"Hey! Over here." Aang yells.

Seeing that Aang has it handle we switch to other opponents. Several of the soldiers are taken out by me because of my unique fighting style. finally I stop behind a building just in time to see Suki kiss Sokka on the cheek. "Now get out of here. We'll hold them off." She shouts Sokka and I run up Appa's tail

"Appa, yip yip!" The Fire Navy crew began to turn around.

As we fly over the bay I lean over the saddle and try to comfort Aang, "I know it's hard, but you did the right thing. Zuko would have destroyed the whole place if we stayed. They're going to be ok Aang."

"What are you doing." Katara cries as Aang suddenly dives off Appa. Her question was answered seconds later as the Unagi's head came above the water with Aang on it's head. It starts to shower the town with water and the fires are put out it flips it's head up and we lean over and catch Aang as he's launched skywards.

"I know, I know. That was stupid and dangerous." he says sheepishly.

"Yes it was..." Katara says and hugs him.

"Way to go Aang," I say and then turn to Sokka, "nice dress."


	6. Ch5: The King of Omashu

**\**

** \**

**Book One: Water**

**Chapter Five: The King of Omashu**

"The Earth Kingdom city of Omashu!" Aang announced. "We used to always come here to visit our friend Bumi." I stare down at the city remembering the fun we used to have. The city almost seemed to be a part of the mountain behind it.

"Wow... we don't have cities like this in the South Pole." Katara says.

"They have buildings here that don't melt." Sokka's gasps.

"Well let's go slowpokes. The real fun is inside the city." Aang says and starts down the path.

"Wait Aang. It might be dangerous if people found out that you are the Avatar." I called to him. "You need a disguise."

"So what am I going to do? Wear a wig?" He asks. Sokka grins and walks back to Appa. He removes some of Appa's loose fur.

"I'm not going to wear Appa's fur." he crosses his arms.

Sokka grabs some rope, "Yes you are."

"But-"

"No buts about it. We need to keep a low profile." I say.

"Fine..."

"Good now come here so I can tie this on you."

"Great I look like a man now."

"Stop complaining!" I say.

"Now just one more thing... Perfect." Sokka says. He had placed some of Appa's fur to make it look as if he has a mustache. "Great now you look just like my grandfather." Sokka says.

"Well technically Aang is one hundred and twelve years old." Katara says.

"Good now just act old mannish and let's get moving." Sokka says. Aang spins his staff making it look like a walking stick then hunches his back.  
"Now let's get a skipping, you young whippersnappers. The big city awaits." He says in a fake accent. "You guys are going to love Omashu. The people here are the friendliest in the world." He says in his regular voice. We walk closer to the city and watch a cabbage merchant talk to the guards.

"Rotten cabbages. What kind of slum do you think this is?" one of the guards says and boots the cabbage cart over the bridge with earthbending.

"My cabbages!" the man cries out in anguish.

"State your business." The guard says and bends a large rock over our heads.

Aang rushes straight up to the guards and points a finger in his face. "My business is my business young man and none of yours. I gotta have the mind to bend you over my knee and paddle your backside-"

"Calm down old-timer," the guard says.

"Names Bonzu. Bonzu Pippinpaddleoppsokopolis the Third and these are my grandkids."

I smile and step forward "Hi, June Pippinpaddleoppsokopolis. Nice to meet you."

"You look like a responsible young lady. Make sure your grandfather stays out of trouble. Enjoy Omashu." He says and steps aside. We're barely through the gate when he cries, "Wait a minute. You're a strong young boy. Show some respect for the elderly and carry your grandfather's bag."

"Good idea." Aang says and hands Sokka his bag. "This is the Omashu delivery system. Miles and miles of tubes and shoots. Earthbending brings the package up."

"And gravity brings them down." I finish and Aang points out stone chutes that run throughout the city.

"Great. So they get their mail on time." Sokka says unimpressed.

"They do get their mail on time but my friend Bumi found a better use for these shoots." Aang says with mischievous grin.

** Try to have fun once in a while.**

"One ride and then we are off to the north pole. Airbenders honor." says Aang.

"This sounded fun at first but now I'm having second thoughts AHHH!" Katara says as we push-off. I laugh along with Aang at the siblings screaming. We all stop screaming and laughing when we notice a cart full of spears in the chute next to us. Then we all start screaming as the two chutes merge and the spears come up behind us. Sokka gasps as he looks back and ducks just as the spears nearly impale him. I yelp slightly as Katara presses closer to me.

"I'm on it!" Aang says confidently as he began to rock the cart until he's able to launch it out of the chute and we slide down the curved roof of a building below them.

"AH!" the four of us scream again as the cart bounces on the ground in front of a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers, causing Aang head-butts me and me having to grab Sokka's parka has he almost falls out. We slide across a couple more rooftops before landing back in one of the chutes going downward.

"Aang, do something!" Katara screams as we fly down the chute, "Use your Airbending!"

"Yeah! Good idea!" Aang said happily, "That'll make us go even faster!" Aang slashes his arms in front of the cart which causes us to go even faster down the chute. We start screaming again when we slide down a particular steep part of the chute and there's another mail cart in front of them, we sigh in relief when the Earthbender pushes the cart to the side only to start screaming again when he brings up another cart from the chute below.  
Our mail cart slams into the second cart, sending us flying through the air. Thankfully, Aang twirls and uses his Airbending to bring the cart in front of us and slow our descent back into the cart. We slide across a few more roofs before flying through a window, into a pottery shop then out the other window.

"Sorry!" Aang shout behind us as the cart soars over a balcony and into another empty house except for the cat that was fighting with Momo on Aang's head. Momo pushes the cat off of Aang just as we crash sideways through a wall and land on the cabbage merchant's cart.

"My cabbages!" The cabbage merchant screeches, "You're going to pay for this!"

"Two cabbages please." Aang comments as we are surrounded by Omashu's guards.

**Because you'll never know when your time's up.**

We were brought before the King and forced to kneel "Your majesty. These children were charged with destruction of property, travelling under false pretenses and the malicious destruction of cabbages." One of the guards says.

"Off with their heads! One for each head of cabbage." the merchant says jumping from one foot to the other.

"Silence! Only the king can pass down judgment. What is your judgment sire?" The King looks us over lingering on Aang and me the most and Aang begins to whistle.

"Throw them... A feast." The King shouts.

"The people in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts so I hope you like your chicken without any skin." the King says.

"Thank you but I don't eat meat." Aang says as the King waves a drumstick near his face.

"What about you? You look like you enjoy meat." The King shoves the pig-chicken leg into Sokka's mouth.

"Is it just me or is this guy's crown a little crooked." Katara whispers to me.

"So tell me young bald one, where are you from?"

"Kangaroo Island." Aang says too fast.

"Kangaroo island ay? I hear that place is really hopping." after several seconds of silence Sokka awkwardly laughs.

"What? It was pretty funny..." he says glancing at Katara and me.

"Well, all these good jokes are making me tired." the king says with a yawn I can tell is a fake. "Guess it's time to hit the hay." Suddenly he throws a chicken drumstick at Aang. Aang uses his bending to stop the leg before it hits him. The guards gasp but the King just smiles triumphantly. I mentally face palm.

"We have an Airbender in our presence. But not just any Airbender, the Avatar!" The King says leaning forward. "Now, what do you have to say to yourself, Mr. Pippinpaddleoppsokopolis?"

"Okay, you caught me." Aang surrenders. "I'm the Avatar. Doing my Avatar thing and keeping the world safe. No fire benders here so I guess we should get going." he said, checking under the tablecloth. "So, good work everyone." He looped his arms around the sibling's neck and begins to back up pulling them with him. "Remember love each other, respect all life, and don't run with your spears. See you next time!" The guards cross their spears blocking the way and I reach up to the hilts of my swords.

"You can't keep us here. Let us leave!" I command.

"Lettuce leaf?" the King says and holds up a, you guessed it, lettuce leaf.

'_This guy is crazy_,' I think to myself.

"Tomorrow, the Avatar will face three deadly challenges. But for now, the guards will show you to your chamber." The King announces.

"My liege, do you mean the good chamber, or the bad chamber?" a guard asks.

"The newly refurbished chamber." he answers

"Wait, which one are we talking about?" the guard asks, completely lost. _'Oh Monkey Socks_,' I think to myself.

"The one that used to be the bad chamber, until the recent refurbishing that is." the king says "Of course, we've been calling it the new chamber, but we really should number them. Uh, take them to the refurbished the chamber that was once bad!" I'm too shocked to even fight against the guards as they pull us away.

"What I would give to be able to earth bend now..." Aang murmurs.

"This is a prison cell?" Katara asks. "But it's so nice."

"He did say it was newly refurbished."

"Nice or not, we're still prisoners." I say.

"I wonder what these challenges are gonna be. "Aang ponders nervously.

"We're not sticking around to find out." Katara declares. "There's gotta be some way outta  
here."

"The air vents!"

"If you think we're gonna fit through there, then you're crazier than that king." Sokka says.

"We can't, but Momo can," he picks him up and begins to shove him through one of the holes. "Go on, boy, get Appa!" Momo had apparently stuffed himself at the king's table and was now to fat to fit through the hole

"Eh, how was Appa supposed to save us anyway?" Sokka asks

"Appa is a ten ton flying bison; I think he could figure something out." Aang says.

"Right." Katara nods."

Like destroying the building with us inside?" Sokka says sarcastically. "Yeah... No."

"Well, no point in figuring it out now. Let's just get some rest. We are going to need it for tomorrow, especially you, Aang." I say.

A soft sound wakes me up from my sleep and I flip into a standing position swords out and ready. I barely move when something hits me in the gut driving all the air from my lungs. A guard grabs my arms and pulls me from the room while two others grab Sokka and Katara. We stand in a room surrounded by guards for several minutes until one of the guards opens a wall while the others pull us through. A crystal ring was placed on all of our fingers. Sokka and Katara tried to take them off, but I knew that they wouldn't budge.

"So, I will give your friends some special souvenirs." The king says. "Those delightful rings are made of pure genomite, also known as the creeping crystal. It's crystal that grows remarkably fast. By nightfall, your friends will be completely covered in it. Terrible fate, really. I can stop it, but only if you can cooperate."

"AH!" Sokka screams, terror tinting his voice. "It's already creeping!"  
"I'll do whatever you want." Aang says in defeat.

We were led to a cavern where a waterfall surged. Hanging in the stream was a key on a string. Aang glances at us and his eyes grew wide when he sees that the crystal has already crept up our forearms.

"It seems like I've lost my lunchbox and I'm hungry." the king says with a short maniacal laugh. Pointing dramatically at the waterfall he gasps, "Oh, there it is. Would you mind fetching it for me?" Aang glared up at the crazy king for a moment before furrowing his brow and jumping from the flat pillar he'd been standing on. By jumping and flipping from stalactite to stalactite he reached the waterfall. Aang dove right into the waterfall and ran up the stalactite in the middle, grabbing the bottom rung of the ladder with one hand then he struggled to grasp the run with his other hand.

"Ooh, climbing the ladder, no one's thought of that before." The king said as he watched Aang.

The force of the waterfall was too strong and his hand slipped from the ladder, sending him flying out of the cascade of water, towards the sharp stalactites.

"Aang!" I yelp leaning over the railing of the balcony and watching him, finally sighing in relief when he caught himself between two stalactites using his hands and feet.

The Airbender once again jumped from stalactite to stalactite, this time however he moved upwards towards the stalagmites at the top of the cavern. With his hands and feet pressed against two stalagmites, Aang looked down at the key in the middle of the waterfall. He jumped away from the two stalagmites and dove towards the waterfall, using Airbending to spin and propel himself rapidly. The force the water falling sent him off course and he was tossed out of the waterfall and into a stalactite, which he quickly clung to so that he didn't fall on the pointed tips of the other stalactites below him.

"That's right, keep diving ahead." The king drawled, "I'm sure it will work eventually.

Aang clung to the stalactite for a moment before he broke off the sharp tip of the stalactite he clung too then perched at the now flat top and leaning back slightly, Aang throws the stalactite tip like a dart at the key, then used a crescent of air to propel the stalactite tip even further and slice through the cascading water, which revealed the key. The stalactite pierced the middle of the chain holding the key before embedding itself in the arch above the entrance into the cavern where the key dangled right above the king's head.

"There!" Aang shouted, "Enjoy your lunch. I want my friends back now!"

"Oh, not yet." The king denied clasping his hands together, "I need help with another matter. It seems I've lost my pet Flopsie."

"Okay." Aang called out to the king standing in the area above the dirt pen he was in, where a white rabbit was sitting on a rock, "Found him."

"Bring him to me!" The king demands, and then coos in a baby voice, "Daddy wants a kiss from Flopsie."

"C'mere Flopsie." Aang said tip-toed towards the rabbit with his arms outstretched only to freeze when a sudden thump sounds from behind him. The Airbender turns around slowly with a nervous chuckle and smile and looks up at the massive gorilla-rabbit standing behind him, the smaller rabbit jumping away. The gorilla-rabbit growls and attempts to grab Aang, but he jumps into the air and flips so the massive beast only crushes the rock the rabbit had been sitting on. Landing in a crouch, the rabbit hops past Aang with a terrified squeak. "Flopsie, wait!" Aang calls out, chasing after the fleeing rabbit with the gorilla-rabbit right behind him, "Flopsie, wait!"

"Flopsie!" Aang shouts and turns sharply right after the rabbit, just in time to see the rabbit head towards a hall in one the wall. The Airbender dives forward in an attempt to grab the rabbit but the rabbit ducks into the hole and with his arm still outstretched Aang hits the wall face first. The young Avatar jumped to his feet and faced the charging, gorilla-rabbit who had almost reached him. "Flopsie?" He asked hesitantly, then cringed backward and lifted his arms to cover his face when the monster was only a foot away.

The gorilla-rabbit stopped and looked down at the boy standing in front of him, his thin tail wagging happily. The beast took a step forward and scooped Aang up in a tender embrace and licks him happily. "Flopsie!" Aang laughed and rubbed the gorilla-rabbit's head when the King's whistling caused Flopsie to drop him and run towards the king.  
Flopsie flopped onto his back in front of the king, his arms and legs spread eagle as he lay on the ground.

"Oh that's a good boy," The king cooed and stepped towards the gorilla-rabbit rubbing his belly, "Yes, who has a soft belly?" Aang jumps onto the railing around the pit up to us.

"Guys are you okay?" He asked, smiling slightly.  
"Other than the crystal slowly encasing my entire body?" I growl, "Doing great."  
Aang turned to Sokka just in time to see one side of the crystal encasing Sokka grow, causing him to tip over from the uneven weight.

"Find out what the next challenge is so we can get out of this stuff." I say.

Aang nodded once and jumped down to where the king was, hands on his hip. The king stops rubbing his pet's belly and looks up at the young Avatar curiously. "Come on, I'm ready for the next challenge." Aang stated confidently, his voice firm.

"Your final test is a duel and as a special treat, avatar, you may choose who you will be your opponent. Point and choose one." the king says drawing my attention to this challenge. Aang is given the choice between a man with an axe and a man who was extremely muscular who obviously didn't need a weapon.

"So, you're saying whoever I point to, that's the person I get to fight?" Aang says and suddenly I have an idea. '_If Aang chooses one of our group to fight him it's a sure win because we'll just give up_'.

"Choose wisely." he says.

"I choose you!" Aang says and points at the King.

"Ha-ha! Wrong choice!" the king laughs. "You thought I was a frail old man, but I'm the most powerful Earthbender you'll ever see."

"Can I fight the guy with the big axe instead?" Aang asks.

"Sorry, but there are no take-backsies in my kingdom." A rock juts out of the ground and launches Aang into the air. The King jumps down and lands in front of him. "You might need this." a guard tosses Aang his staff. The King sends stone after stone at him as soon as Aang grabs his staff. He dodges most of them deflecting a few every once in a while.

"Typical air bender tactics avoid and evade. I'd hoped the Avatar would be less predictable." Aang jumps high to dodge another rock but the king knocks more from the roof knocking him down. "Don't you have any surprises or me? Sooner or later, you'll have to strike back!" Aang charges at him but earthy pillars erupt out of the ground. He evades them easily until one comes up under him hitting him in the stomach. He jumped but it still clipped his stomach. "Oh, you'll have to be a little more creative than that!" He creates one of his air scooters and begins to advance again. The King uses a stone wall to block a hard blast of air that was sent at him.

"Did someone leave the windows open? It feels a little drafty in here. Are you hoping I'll catch a cold?" the king taunts. I lose track off the fighting after that until the end when Aang throws a rock back at the King. The King splits the rock and in the instant that his visibility is blocked Aang charges forward.

"Well done, Avatar. You fight with much fire in your heart." the King says before using earthbending to come back up to the balcony. "You've passed all my tests. Now, you must answer one question."

"You said you'll release my friends if I finished your tests." Aang yells at the crazy old man.

"Oh, but what's the point of tests if you don't learn anything?" the King challenges

"Oh, come on!" Sokka complains.  
"Answer this one question and I will set your friends free. What is..." He pauses for dramatic effect, "my name?" "From the looks of your friends, I'd say you only have a few minutes."

"How are we supposed to know his name?" Aang starts to pace.  
"Think about the challenges, maybe it's some kind of riddle." Katara says

"I got it!" Sokka exclaims. "He's an Earthbender, right? Rocky! You know. Because all of the rocks." I snort in laughter.

"We're gonna keep trying, but that's a good backup." Katara says."

Okay... So back to the challenges." Aang said. "I got a key from the waterfall, I saved his pet and we had a duel."

"And what did you learn?" Katara asked.

"Everything was different than I expected. I had to think differently than I usually would. I know his name!" Aang exclaims his eyes wide.

"And so do I," I say.

The King looks up as we enter the throne room, "Well, what is it? What is my name?"  
"I solved the question the same way I solved the challenges. As you said a long time ago. I had to open our minds to the possibilities." Aang grins. "Bumi, you're a mad genius!"

Bumi began to laugh and snort. "Oh, it's so good to see you again Aang. You haven't changed, literally."

"Uh, over here!" Katara says

"Little help." Sokka pleaded. King Bumi closes his fist and the crystal shattered. He caught a piece of it and bit into it.

"Genomite is made of rock candy. Delicious!" King Bumi explains.

"Knowing you Bumi I'm not surprised." I say smiling.

"Very wise of you Xena," he says with a cackle.

"So, this crazy old king is your old friend, Bumi?" Katara asks.

"Who are you calling old?" King Bumi. "Okay, I'm old."

"What I really want to know is why did you do all of this instead of just telling Aang and Xena who you were?" Sokka asks.

"First of all, it's pretty fun messing with people." Bumi smiles before becoming serious, "But I do have a reason."

"Aang, you have a difficult task ahead. The world has changed in the hundred years you and Xena have been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai. You have much to learn. Aang, you must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord, and when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius! And it looks like you're in good hands. You'll need your friends to help defeat the Fire Nation. And you'll need Momo too." Momo jumps to his shoulder.

"Thank you for your wisdom and advice Bumi." Aang bowed before hugging him "But before we leave, I have a challenge for you. One ride for old time's sake?"

As Aang and Bumi rush from the room a guard holds out my swords to me. I snatch them out of his hand with a glare and spin away smiling as I sheath them.


	7. Ch6:Imprisoned

We hear Sokka's returning footsteps. In his hand is a small brown bag that hopefully contains food. "Great, you're back!" Aang shouts running up to him, "What's for dinner?"

"We've got a few options." he digs around in the bag and pulled out a handful of nuts. "First, round nuts and some kind of oval shaped nuts, and some rock shaped nuts that might just be rocks. Dig in!" He throws the rocks to the side.

"You're kidding, right?" I say starring at the measel amount.

"Seriously, what else ya got?" Katara asks. I sigh when Sokka shrugs his shoulder and I walk away. A large bang echos through the forest and we all share a glance.

"What was that?" Sokka asks the question is on all our minds. Momo blinks then drops a little rock onto another larger rock and another bang rings out.

"It's coming from over there!" Aang yells pointing. We take off running into the trees.

"Shouldn't we run away from huge booms, not toward them?" Sokka yells. We peak over a moss covered log. Standing in a dry riverbed is a man dressed in the colors of the Earth Kingdom.

"An earth bender!" Katara gasps, when he lifts another boulder and throughs it into a wall.

"Let's go meet him." Aang eagerly says.

"We should approach cauts-." I start but Katara is already down the slope.

"Hello there, I'm Katara. What's your name?"

"Why do I bother?" I face palm and watch as the boy takes off blocking the passage with rocks.

"Nice to meet you!" Aang shouts.

"We just wanted to say hi." Katara whispers.

"Hey, that guy's gotta be running somewhere. Maybe we're near a village and I bet that village has a market!" I say.

"Which means no nuts for dinner!" Katara clasps her hands together in joy.

"Hey! I worked hard to get those nuts!" Sokka complains and mumbles "Yeah, I hated them to."  
lxxxXXXxxxl

I shift from one foot to another. Everyone else is looking at the stalls excitedly but not me. I have this bad feeling that something's about to happen. I see the Fire Nation soldiers knocking on the door of the store that the others had gone into. I walk towards the door and slip in behind the soldiers. Katara is holding a bowl of berries, Sokka and the earthbender are examining an apple, and Aang is leaned against the barrel. His hat slips when his elbow becomes to much for the lid of the barrel and the lid flips.

"What do you want?" The woman I take to be the store manager says. "I've already paid you this week."

"The tax just doubled. Wouldn't want an accident, would we?" the captain smirks creating a flame, "Fire is sometimes so difficult to control." The woman sighs and brings out a small wooden chest and hands most of the coins inside to the captain.

"You can keep the copper ones." he says and drops them onto the floor.

"Nice guy." Sokka says sarcastically before asking, "How long has the Fire Nation been here?"

"Five years. Fire Lord Ozai uses our town's coal mines to fuel his ships." She answers

"They're thugs; they steal from us, and everyone here is too much of a coward to do anything about it." The Earthbender says and crosses his arms.

"Quiet, Haru." His mother snaps. "Don't talk like that."

"But, Haru's an earth bender, he can help."

"Earthbending is forbidden." his mother explains, "It's caused nothing but misery for this village. He must never use his abilities."

"How can you say that?" Katara demands, "Haru was born with a gift. Asking him not to earthbend is like asking me not to waterbend. It is apart of who we are."

"You don't understand." Haru's mother whispers.

"I understand that Haru can help you fight back. What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?"

"They could take Haru away. Just like they took his father." Haru tenses as his mother says that.

lxxxXXXxxxl  
My mom said you can sleep here tonight, but you should leave in the morning." Haru said leading us into a barn behind his house.

"Thanks I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all you're hay." Aang says just as Appa takes a bite. Katara runs out after Haru when he leaves. I sit down on a pile of hay and streach.

"Whats wrong, Xena," Aang asks.

"I just have a bad feeling about staying here," I say.

"You know what would take your mind off of it," he teases.

"You offering?" I ask sitting up.

"Sure," he says and grabs his staff. I smirk, stand up, and pull my swords from my back.

"What are you two doing," Sokka asks curiously.

Ignoring Sokka I take a stance, "your move airhead."

lxxxXXXxxxl

"It was so brave of Haru to use his earthbending to help that old man." Katara sats excitedly.

"You must have really inspired him." I roll over to look at her.

"Everyone should get some sleep. We're leaving at dawn." Sokka orders.

"Dawn? Can't we sleep in for once?" I ask with a yawn.

"Absolutely not. This village is crawling with Fire Nation troops." Sokka turns to Aang and continues, "If they discover you're here, Aang, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast. Good night."

"I rather eat fireballs than nuts." Katara says.

"Good night." Sokka growls forcefully. I laugh and curl up into a ball while Aang and Katara join in.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"They took him! They took Haru away!" Katara shouts running into the barn. I jump about two feet into the air in shock.

"What?" Aang asks.

"The old man turned him in to the Fire Nation. It's all my fault; I forced him into earth bending." Katara sobs.

"Slow down Katara. When did this happen?" Sokka demands to know.

"Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight." she answers.

"Then it's too late to track him, he's long gone." Sokka responds.

"We don't need to track him. The Fire Nation is going to take me right to Haru."

"And why would they do that?" Aang asks

"Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending." I sigh already sensing that this is not gonna end well.

"I might have an idea," I say against my better judgment.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"I thought you were crazy at first, but this might work." Sokka says while helping me roll a boulder over a ventilation shaft.

"Of course it will because I am a genuis," I say and place my hand over my heart.

"And your not full of yourself or anything," Katara says teasingly.

"There are ventilation shafts throughout the mine." Sokka continues as if we hadn't said anything, "All Aang has to do is send an air current from that vent to this one right here. The boulders levitates and tada! Fake earth bending."

"Aang, did you get all that?" katara asks a very distracted Aang.

"Sure, I got it." Aang said.

"Do you remember you're cue?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, yeah, just relax." Aang but continues to play with a butterfly. "You're taking all the fun out of this."

"By this do you mean getting intentionally captured by a group of ruthless fire benders?" I ask stepping over to him.

"Exactly! That's fun stuff!" Aang says.

"Here they come! Get into places!" I say.

Katara and I walk into each other on purpose. "Get out of my way, pipsqueak!" I yell in a horrible fake voice.

"How dare you call me a pipsqueak. You barbarian!" Katara yells back and it takes a lot of restraint to not burst out laughing.

"What did you call me?" Sokka demands.

"A barbarian." Katare repeats and grabs her ears. "Look at you. Did herds of animals run over you?"

"You better back off!" I yell back and then whispers to her. "Seriously, back off. That is hurtful."

"I will not back off. I bet elephants get together and make fun of how barbaric you are!"

"That's it, you're going down!"

"I'll show you whose boss, earthbending style!" Katara shouts and strikes a fake earthbending stance. "I said, earthbending style!" Katara repeats when Aang doesn't respond.

He jumps up to do his job "The lemur!" one of the soldiers gasps. "Its earth bending!" Momo is standing behind the rock and it actually looks like he is bending the rock.

"No, you idiot!" I snap at them, "It's her!"

"Oh, of course." his voice is tinted with embarassment.

"I'll hold her." I grab her arms. "You got twelve hours," I stage whisper.

Aang and Sokka step out into the open as they lead Katara away."So Barbarian what now?" Sokka asks.

"Shut up," I growl. "Come on," I grab Aang's and Sokka's arms pulling them along. We watch silently from the bank of a river as a boat pulls away with Katara.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Don't worry Aang. Katara will be fine. She knows what she is doing." I lean forward over the saddle when I see Aang's worried expression. He nods his silently and then gasps as a giant rigging comes into sight.

"Well isn't that nice," Sokka says sarcasticly.

"Umm wow yeah umm this isn't go-going to be easy is it?" I stutter.

"Unfortunatly no," Aang responds.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Aang guided Appa around the many spot lights to a small blind spot that we found earlier. "Stay here with Appa and move if a patrol comes around. I'll bring Katara back here so if you had to leave we will wait." Aang whispers to us befoe slipping off Appa. It takes him about fifteen minutes to find Katara and come back.

"Your twelve hours are up, where's Haru? We have to get out of here." Sokka whispers.

"I can't." Katara responds.

"But we don't have much time, there are guards everywhere." Sokka says uselessly, "Get on."

"Katara, what's wrong?" I ask.

"We're not leaving. We're not giving up on these people." Aang looks at me and Sokka then back to Katara.

"What do you mean you're not leaving?" Sokka demands and we jump off to crouch next to her.

"We can't abandon these people. There has to be a way to help them"

"Maybe she's right. What do you say, Sokka?" I asked him.

"I say you're both crazy!" He replied. A spot light flashs overhead and we duck our heads.. "Last chance, we need to leave now." Sokka warns

"No."

"I hate it when you get like this." Sokka sighs, shaking his head as another light passes close to us. "Come on, we better hide." We rushed throught the rigging until we find a likely place to stay unseen. "We don't have much time." Sokka says looking at the moon. "What are we gonna do?"

"I wish I knew how to make a hurricane." Aang sighs. We gave him confused looks. "The warden would run away and we'd steal his keys!"

"Great plan except for the fact that he'd take the keys with him." I say.

"I'm just tossing ideas around." Aang says.

"I tried talking with the earthbenders into fighting back, but it didn't work." Katara told us, "If there was just a way to help them help themselves."

"For that, they'd need some kind of earth, or some rock. Something they can bend." Sokka says.

"But this entire place is made of metal." Katara complains.

"No it's not. Look at the smoke." I say, pointing to the black smoke wafting from the turrets. "I bet they're burning coal. In other words, earth."

lxxxXXXxxxl

"There are the intruders!" a guard shouts pointing toward us. 'Great' I think to myself and pull my swords out.

"Stay back!" Sokka yells, holding his boomerang, "I'm warning you!"

"Katara, stop!" an old man insists. "You can't win this fight!"

"Listen to him, children. You're one mistake away from dying where you stand." the warden says.

Coal shoots up out of a vent in the ground pilling onto the deck. Aang coughs and tries to brush away coal dust. "Here's your chance, earthbenders!" Katara cries out holding up a piece of coal above her head. "Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!" Haru started to move forward but was stopped by the same man that spoke to Katara.

"Foolish girl! You thought a few inspirational words and some coal would change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces. There spirits were broken a long time ago. Oh? But you still believe in them. How sweet. They're a waste of your energy, little girl. You've failed." The warden whips around as coal hits him in the back of his head. I turn to see Haru twirling three pieces of coal above his hand. The Warden sent a fire ball at him but before it could reach Haru, his father makes a wall of coal to block it. "Show no mercy!" The Warden yells.

"For the Earth Kingdom! Attack!" Haru's father yells and sends a large wave of coal at the firebenders. I spin fast and cut into Fire Nation soldiers spears and disperse fireblasts by swinging my swords in a figure eight.

"No, please! I can't swim!" the warden begs as the earthbenders bend coal under the firebenders ship and bend it over the water.

"Don't worry, I hear cowards float." Haru's father smirks and lets them drop into the water below. We all got on the ship and Haru pulled Katara away.

"I want to thank you for saving me. For saving us."

"All it took was a little coal." Katara blushs.

"It wasn't coal, Katara, it was you." Haru insists.

His father walks up to them and places a hand on Katara's shoulder. "Thanks you for helping me find my courage, Katara, of the water tribe. My family and everyone here owe you much."

"So, I guess you're going home now?" Katara asks..

"Yes, to take back my village." He answers before yelling everyone can hear him. "To take back all our villages! The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!" A loud cheer ripples through the air.

"Come with us." Haru tells her.

"I can't." Katara said, "Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole."

"That's him, isn't it? The Avatar. Katara, thank you for bring my father back to me. I never thought I'd see him again. I only wish there was some way..."

"I know." Katara says and reaches up for her necklace. She gasps, "My mother's necklace! It's gone!"

**I really hate this chapter but I thought it would be wrong to leave out. R&R please. I know I haven't explained what Xena looks like but I kind of want to wait until Zuko sees her.**


	8. Ch7: The Winter Solstice Pt:1

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**Book One:Water**

**Chapter Seven: Winter Solstice Part One: The Spirit World**

"Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big, soft, cottony heap." Katara says

"Maybe you should give it a try, Katara." I joke.

"You're hilarious." Katara replied sarcastically.

"I'll try it." Aang says and grabs his staff. He dives off Appa into the clouds. "Turns out clouds are made of water." Aang says when he comes back up a moment later. He bends the air around him to dry off.

I roll my eyes and look down at the ground below. "Hey, what's that?" I gasp in shock when I see a large swath of burned forest.

"It's like a scar," Sokka whispers. Aang landed Appa on the ground and ash drifts up. "Listen... There's no life anywhere."

"Aang are you ok?" I ask him as he stares remorsefully at the scene.

"No." he whispers

"Fire Nation." Sokka nearly shouts after spotting tracks through the ash. "Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for-!"

"Shh!" Katara and I shush him.

"What? I'm not allowed to be angry?" Sokka asks and we just point to a dejected Aang who sits down in the ash.

"Why would anyone do this? How could I have let this happen?"

"Aang, you had anything to do with this. It's has nothing to do with you." Katara insists.

"Yes it is. I'm the Avatar and the Avatar's job is to protect nature. But I don't even know how to do my job." He drops his head into his hands.

"That's why we're going to the North Pole to find you a teacher." Katara continues. I glance around at the destruction and walk off a little ways. There's a soft crunch under my foot and I crouch down and lift a ash covered acorn from the ground. The small acorn gives me an idea how to cheer Aang up. I find six more acorns and gather them up before heading over to Aang.

"Hey, are you ready to be cheered up?" I ask him.

"No." he responds, 'I smirk and throw one of the acorns at his head."Ow!" he complains and scoots to the side, "How was that cheering me up?" I toss one of the acorns into the air and catch it when he turns back to me.

"Cheered me up." Sokka laughs and I throw one at him. "Ow! Yeah, I probably deserved that."

"These acorns are everywhere Aang." I explain and walked over to him. "That means the forest will grow back. Every one of these will be a tall oak tree someday, and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back." I kneel and press one into his open palm.

"Thanks Xena." He says rubbing at his eyes.

We all look up as an old man crunches through the ash. "Hey! Who are you?" Sokka demands to know.

He ignores Sokka and walks up to Aang "When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible, but those markings. Are you the Avatar child?" Aang looks at Sokka and Katara behind the man then nods his head. "My village desperately needs your help."

**And in less you suddenly became the Avatar you only have one life.**

I'm shocked by the looks of the village. Several buildings are destroyed and the villagers seem hesitant and scared. "This young one is the Avatar." The old man says as introduction.

"So, the rumors of your returns are true. It is the greatest honor of a lifetime to be in your presence." One of the villagers says bowing to Aang.  
"Nice to meet you too." Aang says happily, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm not sure..." The man sadly says and turns away.

"Our village is in crises, they are our only hope." The elderly man told the others. "For the last few days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. He is Hei-Bai, the black and white spirit."

"Why is it attacking you?" Sokka asks.

"We do not know." He answers looking up at the sun. "But each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the winter solstice draws near."

"What happens then?" Katara asks.  
"As the solstice approaches," The old man began, "the natural world and the spirit world grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely."

"Hei-Bai is already causing devastation and destruction. Once the solstice is here, there is no telling what will happen." Another villager tells us.

"So, what do you want Aang to do exactly?" I ask stepping forward.

"Who better to resolve a crisis between our world and the spirit world than the Avatar? He is after all the great bridge between man and spirits."

"Right, that's me." Aang says nervously.

"Hey, great bridge boy, can I talk to you over here for a second?" Katara says drawing Aang away. I shift to my other foot for a moment before walking over with Sokka to join them.

"Yes, that might be because I don't know anything about the spirit world besides from stories and legends the monks used to tell us." He says self-consciously and then adds on seeing the confused looks that passes between us "It's not like there's someone to teach me this stuff!"

"Alright Aang calm down," I begin," Are sure that you can help these people."

"Well I have to try, don't I? Maybe whatever I have to do will just come to me." He says in a low voice. Momo jumps up into his arms.

"I think you can do it Aang." Katara smiles encouragingly.

"Yeah... We're all gonna get eaten by a spirit monster." Sokka says in an optimistic voice even though he is being negative. I elbow him in the ribs.

Aang walks out the door of the building. "Hello?" We hear him call. "Spirit? Can you hear me? This is the Avatar speaking. I'm here to try help stuff!"

"Katara," I whisper, "I have a bad feeling about this.

"The sun has set! Where are you, Hei-Bai?" Aang shouts.

"I am to," Katara whispers back.  
"Well Spirit... I ahhh... I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace!" Aang sounds unsure as he talks.

We hear heavy footsteps and a loud pitched shriek fills the room and my hands cover my ears. Blue light floods the room before vanishing with the scream. "My name is Aang!" we hear from outside. "I'm the Avatar and I would like to help you!" There's a loud sound of a building being crushed and Aang shouts "Hey, wait up!"

"Please, would you stop destroying things and listen?" Aang shouts "Hello? I'm just trying to do my job as the spirit bridge. Excuse me? Please turn around." There are more sounds of destruction then Aang angry shout, "I command you to turn around now!"

"I'm going to go help him," Sokka says running out. 'Monkey socks' I think to myself and start to reach out and grab him but it's too late and he's already outside.

"Hei-Bai ! Over here!" Sokka yelled.

Katara and I share a look and move over to the door but let out a gasp of shock when we see the giant black and white spirit run off with a shouting Sokka. Aang takes off after them and I watch fearfully. Suddenly I feel dizzy and Katara sees me sway and reaches out to catch me as I fall unconscious.

**Lighten up.**

"Katara, Katara, I lost him." Aang said looking at the ground, unable to meet her eyes.

"The sun is rising. Perhaps they will return soon." The old man said to comfort her.

"What? I'm right here!" Aang shouted waving his hand in front of his face. He gasped in shock, "I'm in the spirit world!"

"No duh," I growl stepping forward.

"Xena wh... how?"

"I'm your guardian Aang which means when you go into the spirit world you drag me in too unless I'm protecting you of course." I say and touch his shoulder.

He sits down next to Katara and begins to talk "I'll figure this out, Katara, I promise. Like they said, I'm the bridge between the worlds, right? All I have to do is figure out what I have to do. But once I do that, no problem!" We hear a low growl and I smile. "Oh, hey Appa. I'm over here buddy." Appa sniffed at Katara completely ignoring Aang. "Oh... I guess you can't see me either." Appa growled at Katara and she startled awake.

"It's okay, Appa." Katara said while patting his nose. "I'm sure they're on their way back. I bet they even found you a bunch of moon peaches for a treat." She got up and walked into the town and Appa followed.

"What am I supposed to do?" he said. Then he turned to the forest and frustration and yelled, "Avatar Roku, how can I talk to you?**" **

I heard something approaching and I turned towards it eyes narrowing. "Sokka?" Aang whispers from beside me. I watched as a ball of light got closer and formed the shape of a dragon.

"That's definitely not Sokka!" I gasp. Aang unfurls his glider and jumped into the air but fell to the ground. He got up and tried to perform a simple airbending move but nothing happened. He tried it again and again before staring in terror. "I can't airbend in the spirit world!"

I turned to the approaching dragon and swallowed the lump in my throat. The dragon landed in front of me and I took a step back next to Aang. "You don't know where Sokka is, do you?" Aang asked hopefully. The dragon touched his forehead with its vision blurred and was replaced with that of a Fire Nation man riding on the back of the creature in front of me. "You're avatar Roku's animal guide! Like Appa is to me." Aang says as it pulls back. "I need to find my friend but I don't know how. Is there some way for me to talk to Roku?" The dragon growled softly and lowered its head again. Its long neck curled around us and it stared expectantly. We climbed up onto his neck. "I'll be back, Katara." He whispered to our friend before yelling, "Take me to Roku!"

We approached a crescent shaped island with a tall temple standing on it. I looked down at the magnificent temple. We flew through the door then head straight at the roof and my eyes widened. "Hey, what are you doing?" Aang shouted while I threw my hands up to protect my face but nothing happened. We just passed straight through it like it wasn't even there. In front of us, was a statue of Roku. I jumped of and walked towards it.

"I don't understand. This is just a statue of Roku." Aang said hopping up to look at the metal statue with a flame design behind it. The dragon touched him again with its whisker and I saw a comet rocketing through the sky. He flinched away, "Is that what Roku wants to talk to me about? A comet?" He turned back to the statue before asking, "When can I talk to him?" The dragon bowed his head revealing a beam of light shining through a tiny window high up near the ceiling. The ray hit the wall just to the right of Roku's statue near the shoulder. I turned in confusion and the dragon touched him with his whisker again.I saw the days passing quickly as the sun and moon rose behind the temple on the volcanic island. With every new day the light would get closer to the statue and when it hit the statue the statue began to glow.

"It's a calendar," I said in realization. "And the light will reach Roku on the solstice. So that's when you can speak to Roku?" I said to Aang.

"But I can't wait that long to save Sokka." he said to me. I jumped back on its scaled back and held out my hand.  
"We'll find him Aang," I say and he smiles before taking my hand. The dragon took off back to the village.

We rode Roku's dragon back along the scarred land until I spotted a large statue. The statue was of a standing bear. As we got closer I could see Aang's body sitting on top with his staff in hands. His tattoos were glowing with a white light.

I wake up with a gasp of shock. I push myself up into a sitting position against a wall. I'm alone in the room where everyone was yesterday except for one villager. "Oh you're awake," she exclaims.

"How long was I out?" I ask.

"About a day," she says and hands me a cup of water. I sip water from the cup slowly and the woman seeing that I'm okay turns to leave.

"Where's Katara?"

"She is with the Avatar," he tells me then leaves. I stand up and meet them at the entrance of the village. "This time I'm staying with you," I say quietly. He nods and as the sun sets we head back into the village.

**Being serious all the time is boring.**

I stand next to Aang. Aang turns back to Katara and then suddenly a building is destroyed on our right. Several pieces of wood fall towards us and he deflects them with a blast of air. He runs towards Hei-Bai then and using his airbending jumps and touches Hei-Bai's forehead with his hand. The spirit's form flickers and I gasp as I see his true form.

"You're the spirit of this forest." Aang says. "Now I understand. You're upset and angry because your home was burned down. When I first saw the forest, I was sad and upset. But my friend gave me hope that forest would grow back." He puts an acorn down in front of it. The spirit picks it up gently and walks away his form shimmering and changing to that of a giant panda. As he walked through the gate bamboo shoots sprout out from the ground. Sokka and several other villagers walk out from the bamboo.

"Sokka!" Katara yells running to hug him.

"What happened?" he says.

"You were trapped in the spirit world for twenty four hours." I explain.

"How are you feeling?" Katara asks.

"Like I seriously need to use the bathroom!" He says and runs off.

When Sokka returns we gather in front of the villagers. "Thank you, Avatar. If there only was a way to repay you for what you've done."

"You could give us some supplies and some money." Sokka says simply.

"Sokka!" Katara elbowed him in the gut.

"What? We need stuff." He complains.

"It would be an honor to help you prepare for your journey." The old man says bowing

"I'm so proud of you Aang." Katara says and touches his shoulder "You figured out how to stop Hei-Bai all by yourself."

"Actually, I did have a little help." he says and lowers his head "And there's something else."

"What is it?" Sokka asks

"I need to contact Roku and I think I've finally found a way to contact his spirit." He says

"That's great!" Katara cries.

"_Creepy,_ but great." Sokka says and I slap him in the back of the head.

"Tell them Aang," I say.

"There's a temple on a crescent shaped island, and if I go there on the solstice, I'll be able to speak to Avatar Roku." he continues and then pauses

"But, the solstice is tomorrow." Katara says.

"Yeah... and there's one more problem. The island is in the Fire Nation." I sigh quietly.

**I hope you like this chapter R&R. Xena's looks will be explained next chapter.**


	9. Ch8: The Winter Solstice Pt:2

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**Book One: Water**

**Chapter Eight: The Winter Solstice Part 2: Avatar Roku**

"Let's go Appa. Come on!" Aang says trying to coax Appa to his feet. Appa just growls at him. "Look, I'm sorry, but Katara and Sokka aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us. If they got hurt, I'd never forgive myself." Aang whispers to the sky bison then says "So get you're big butt off the ground and let's go!"

"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." I say stepping up to them.

"Please don't go." Katara pleads. "The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation."

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku. To find out what my vision means." He says trying to convince us "I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice. That's today!"

"Then we better get going shouldn't we?" I say with a smirk.

"Xena, you and Aang aren't going anywhere," Katara says trying to grab my arm.

I step up towards Appa my hand resting against his flank, "Sorry guys but I'm going with Aang and he needs to talk to Roku."

"We're not letting you go into the Fire Nation, Aang." Katara decides to take a different approach and steps in front of Appa to speak to Aang

"At least not without your friends." Sokka says taking his hands from his hips. "We got your back." Appa let out a loud groan and licks Sokka. "Ewww..." Sokka complains

"It's a long journey to Crescent Island." The village leader says handing a wrapped parcel to Aang "You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown. Good luck."  
"Thank you for your..." Aang begins.

"Go!" the village elder says

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"Come on, boy!" Aang encourages Appa "We've got a long way to go! Faster!"

I look back behind us and gasp as I see a Fire Navy ship coming after us. "Um, guys I think we got a problem."

"Yeah, and its gaining fast!" Sokka adds.

"Fireball!" Katara yelled just as the ship fires one at us.

"I'm on it!" Aang shouts and pulls on Appa's reins. Appa veers off to the side to dodge.

"We have to get out of Zuko's range!" Katara yell is muffled as she covers her noise just like I am doing. "Before he shoots another hot stinker at us."

"Aang can you get Appa to go any faster?" I ask

"Yeah..." he says slowly, "Just one little problem... There's a blockade..." We all turn forward to see the long line of ships. I growl and slip onto Appa's head beside Aang. "If we fly north, we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade. It's the only way." Aang says.

"No time for that," I say.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you to come. It's too dangerous." he says.

"And that's exactly why we're here." Sokka says.

"Let's run that blockade!" I say rebellious.

"Appa! Yip yip!" Aang shouts and Appa speeds up. As we approach the blockade a large wave of fireballs are launched at us. Everyone else screamed and Aang yanks Appa to the side to avoid them. One explodes close to Appa's side lighting a small patch of fur on fire. Katara and Sokka pat it out quickly. "Appa. Are you ok, buddy?" Aang ask the bison. Appa groans and Aang pulls us above the clouds. Another line of fire balls surge up through the clouds. We swerve through them as they come up but two collide with each other right in front of us. Appa jerked back and Sokka fell out of the saddle.

"Sokka!" Aang shouts and directs Appa to get underneath him. Katara reaches out and pulled the water tribe warrior back into the saddle. As Appa skims the water a fish flies out of the water and hits Sokka with a wet slap. We were fast approaching the ships when a single fireball flew directly at us. Aang jumps up and kicks outward sending a gust of wind at it. The fireball explodes. I grab the reins as Aang is pulled back into the saddle. "We made it!" Aang cheers as we make it past the ships.

"We got into the Fire Nation..." Sokka says in disbelief "...Great."

lxxxXXXxxxl

"There it is! The island Roku's dragon took me to!" I sit up at Aang's yell.  
Aang lands Appa. "You did it buddy. Nice flying."

"Oh! You must be tired!" Katara coos to Appa.

"No. I'm good." Sokka says with a stretch. "Refreshed and ready to fight some firebenders."

"I was talking to Appa." Katara says.

"Well, I was talking to Momo." Sokka says turning to Appa. I roll my eyes and pulled my swords from their sheaths. We walk up the path to the temple door.

"Where are the guards," I ask when we get closer.

"The Fire Nation must have abandoned the temple when Avatar Roku died." Katara says quietly.

"It's almost sundown, we'd better hurry." Aang says and we hurry inside. I hear a soft sound almost like footsteps.

"Hey, do guys hear something?"

"We are the Fire Sages. Guardians to the temple of the Avatar." The voices come from behind us. Several people dressed identically stand behind us.

"Great! I am the Avatar." Aang says with a smile.

"We know." The Fire Sage says. I realize that they are about to attack and spin my swords lightly in front of Aang to block the shoots.  
"Run! We'll hold them off!" Aang shouts to Katara and Sokka. Aang swings his foot out extinguishing the candles and throwing the sages back against the wall. We run to catch up to the siblings Aang jumps over their heads taking the lead. "Follow me!"

"Do you even know where you are going?" Sokka asks.

"Nope!" Aang responds.

Aang rounds a corner then suddenly dash back past us yelling "Wrong way!"

"Come back!" I hear a sage yell and realize that he's the reason Aang came back this way.

We skid around a corner coming to a dead end. "I don't want to fight you, I'm a friend." The Sage says blocking our path

"Firebenders aren't our friends." Sokka says. Aang steps forward taking a bending stance and I step up as well my swords held in the beginning of the water style.  
To our shock the sage bows and says, "I know why you're here, Avatar."

"You do?" Aang asked and relaxed.

"Yes." The sage says standing up. "You wish to speak to Avatar Roku. I can take you to him."

Aang asked confused "How?"  
The sage puts his hand on the wall and lets out a soft burst of fire. A hole opens in the wall revealing a tunnel. "This way." he gestures into the tunnel. We look at the tunnel warily.

"Find them." One of the sages calls.

"Time is running out. Quickly." The sage says to us urgently. As we walk the sage tells us a little about the tunnels, "Avatar Roku once called this temple his home. He formed these secret passages out of the magma."

"Did you know Avatar Roku?" Aang asks.  
"No, but my grandfather knew him. Many generations of Fire Sages guarded this temple long before me. We all have a strong spiritual connection to this place." The sage responds.

"Is that how you knew I was coming?" Aang asks.

"A few weeks ago, an amazing thing occurred. The statue of Avatar Roku, its eyes began to glow."

"That's when we were at the Air Temple." Katara says. "Avatar Roku's were glowing there too!"  
"At that moment, we knew you had all returned to the world." He finishes.

"If this is the Avatar's temple, why did the sages attack Aang?" I ask.

"Things have changed." The sage says. "In the past, the sages were loyal only to the Avatar. When Roku died, the sages eagerly awaited for the next Avatar to return. But he never came."

"They were waiting for me." Aang says and stops walking.

"Hey don't feel bad. You're only a hundred years late." Sokka says oblivious to how he made it worse. I tense and barely restrain myself from slapping him.

"They lost hope the Avatar would ever return. When Fire Lord Sozin began the war, my grandfather and the other sages were forced to follow him. I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other sages."

"Thank you for helping me." Aang says with a sad small smile.

"We'll follow these stairs to the sanctuary. Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue. Only then, will you be able to speak to him." The sage says leading us out of the tunnels into a room. "No!" The Fire Sage gasps.

"What's wrong Shyu?" Aang asks.

"The sanctuary doors, they're closed." Shyu responds

"Can't you just open it with fire bending?" I ask.

"No." Shyu shakes his head and sighed. "Only a fully realized Avatar is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise, the sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts."

"Five fire blasts, huh?" Sokka says. "I think I can help you out." We all look at Sokka in confusion until he takes out several small sacks. "This is a little trick I picked up from my father. I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing. Shyu lights the oil soaked twine and tada! Fake fire bending!" he says finishing tying the bags.

"You've really outdone yourself this time." Katara says.

"Who knew you could be so smart," I say.

"This might actually work." Shyu says and nods.

"The sages will hear the explosions," Shyu informs us as Sokka stuffs the bags in the openings of the door. "Well, as soon as they go off, Avatar, you rush in."

"It's almost sunset." Katara points out. "Are you ready?"

"Definitely." He replies with a small nod and smile. Shyu shoots a small stream of fire and hid behind the columns with us. Everyone covered their ears as the bombs went off with a loud boom. Aang runs up to the doors and pulls on the handle but it doesn't budge.

"They're still locked." He says disappointed.

"It didn't work." Shyu sighs.

"Why won't it open up?" Aang screams and starts throwing large gusts of air at the door.

"Aang, stop! There's nothing else we can do." Katara pleads and he stops.

"I'm sorry I put you through all this for nothing." He says depressed.

"I don't get it." Sokka said rubbing his fingers on the soot marked spot. "That blast looked as strong as any firebending I've ever seen."

"Sokka, you're a genius!" I shout.

"Wait, how is Sokka a genius?" Aang asks "His plan didn't even work."

"You're right it didn't work...but it looks like it did." I say

"Did the definition of genius changed in the last hundred years?" Aang asks. I smirk and pick Momo up. The lemur chatters lightly and seems to know what I'm thinking because he squeezes through one of the soot stained holes.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Come quickly! The Avatar has entered the sanctuary!" Shyu shouts to the other four sages.

"How did he get in?" The Head Sage asks.

"I don't know." Shyu replies "But look at the scorch marks and down there." Under the door Momo's shadow moves.

"He's inside. Open the doors immediately! Before he contacts Avatar Roku!" The Head Sage orders. Aang leaps down from his position on the column just as the sages shoots blasts of fire into the lock mechanism of the door.

"It's the Avatar's lemur! He must have crawled through the pipes! We've been tricked!" the head sage yells on seeing Momo standing at the mouth of the door. We all raced out and grab the Fire Sages.

"Now, Aang!" I hear Shyu yell.

"Aang! Now your chance!" Katara cries to back him up.

"The Avatar's coming with me! Close the doors!" I look up in shock when Zuko steps out with a tight grip on Aang. My eyes harden into a glare. The Fire Sage grabs us switching our positions.

lxxxX-Zuko POV-Xxxxl

Zuko grabbed Aang as he jumped down from a pillar. "Now Aang," a Fire Sage shouts.

"Aang! Now's your chance," the Water Tribe pheasant adds.  
"The Avatar's coming with me! Close the doors!" he says stepping out into the open with the struggling Aang. The Fire Sages flip their position and grab Aang's friends. Zuko felt a chill travel up his spine When he met Xena's glare. She was only fifteen but was almost as tall as him. Her black hair was tied back with an orange ribbon to keep it out of her face. She wore black pants, boots, a short sleeved dark orange shirt, and a black vest. She had white bandages wrapped around her forearms. Two lightweight dual swords were strapped to her back; the tips peeked over her shoulders. The chill he felt was more due to the tattoos on her face and arms. The only tattoo that he could easily tell what it was, was a dark gray crescent moon.

lxxxXXXxxxl

As Zuko pulls him towards the stairs he somehow twists free.

"Go!" Katara and I yell as the door starts to close. He barely makes it into the room as the door closes with a loud boom.

"Aang made it..."I say and blue light seeps out from underneath the door.

"We need to open this door now!" Zuko yells. I struggle faintly with the soldier that holds me but stop when the sages and Zuko's fire blast doesn't do anything. "Why isn't it working?" He shots in frustration. "It's sealed shut!"

I feel the faint pull of the Spirit World through my connection with Aang but manage to use my own Avatar State to stay out of it. "It must have been the light. Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside." One of the sages says.

Zuko growled and turned to Shyu "Why did you help the Avatar?" I sense a faint heat source to my right and turn my head slightly.

"Because, it was once the sages' duty. It is still our duty." Shyu replies.

We all look up in shock as the sound of clapping fills the air. "What a moving and heartfelt performance. I'm certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him." The man says. I can tell that he's a commander by his clothes and the way his soldiers follow his commands and circle us.

"Commander Zhao..." The lead sage says bowing.

"And Prince Zuko, it was a noble effort. But you're little smoke screen didn't work. Two traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased." Zhao says and a soldier grabbed Zuko.

"You're too late, Zhao." Zuko says. "The Avatar is inside and the doors are sealed."

"No matter. Sooner or later, the Avatar will have to come out." Zhao smirks and I twist hard in the soldier grasp as he pulls me back. I punch him in the face and turn to hit Zhao. I feel a bright sense of heat and then everything is washed in orange and red as I collapse.

lxxxXXXxxxl

I wake up to find my hands bound above my head. I sigh and struggle against the restraints hard. I sense the approaching heat and stop struggling as Zhao steps into my room. He smiles and steps forward, "aren't you in a predicament," he says. I growl and he laughs before turning to leave.

**Yeah. I drew a picture of Xena and editied it on my computer. She only has the crescent moon tattoo because i couldn't draw the others right. It's at art/ Xena-357563696**

**R&R**


	10. Ch9: The Waterbending Scroll

**/**

**/**

**Book One: Water**

**Chapter Nine: The Waterbending Scroll**

I loop the chain around my wrists and kick the Fire Nation soldier in the chest as he steps closer to me. "Stupid girl," he growls and steps forward to grab my feet as I try to kick him again. I growl and twist sharply and then suddenly his hands heat up as he burns my legs. I bite back a cry of pain but stop fighting against the soldier. He reaches up and unlocks the chains from my wrists and only to pull my arms behind my back and put on a pair of handcuffs. He leads me up on deck then forces me to my knees in front of Zhao. I look at the ground preferring to sense his heat then actually look at him.

"So are you ready to tell me where the Avatar is yet," he says. I smile faintly at the ground then look up at him.

"Nope," I say still smiling.

"Suit yourself," he says then reaches out with a burning hand.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Would you sit down? If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off!" Sokka says as Aang paces back and forth. "What's wrong with you anyway?"

"It's what Avatar Roku said. I'm supposed to master all four elements before the comet arrives." He says.

"Well, let's see. You've pretty much mastered airbending and that only took you 112 years. I'm sure you can master three more elements by next summer." Aang stares at him wide-eyed.

"I haven't even started waterbending and we're still weeks away from the North Pole. And then there's the fact that Xena is gone. What am I gonna do?" he asks.

"Calm down." Katara ordered and pulled him down. "Everything is going to be fine and I don't mind teaching you some of the stuff that I know. And I'm also pretty sure that Xena is fine."

"Really?" Aang says glancing at Katara.

She nods then says, "Really, now all need is a good source of water."

"Maybe we can find a puddle for you to splash in." Sokka says sarcastically.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Nice puddle," Sokka says.

Appa flies into the water and lands with a mighty splash. "Yeah! Don't start without me, boy!" Aang says starting to remove his outer layer of clothes.

"Remember the reason we're here." Katara says stopping him mid-stride.

"Oh right, time to practice waterbending." He smiles sheepishly and puts his clothes back on.

"Great. So, what am I supposed to do?" Sokka asks.

"You could clean the gunk out of Appa's toes?" Aang suggests handing him a leafy branch

"So, while you guys are playing in the water, I'm supposed to be hard at work picking the mud out of a giant bison's feet?" Sokka asks in disbelief.

"Mud and bugs!" Aang says with a smile.

Sokka shrugs and takes the branch. "Okay."

lxxxXXXxxxl

I growl faintly as I grab the chain above my head. Breathing softly I slowly stroke my inner fire till the metal under my hands glows red hot. I jerk down hard once and nothing happens. I grit my teeth and pull again this time rewarded with a metallic screech and crackle as it breaks. There is still part of the metal cuffs on my wrists and I focus my heat vision to check on the guards. Neither of them moves from their place by the door and I smile faintly before gliding forward on silent feet. The door opens outward thankfully and I push it open hard and slam it into the guard on the left's face before slamming the other into a wall. They land on the ground with faint thumps. I stick to the shadows as much as I can and use my heat vision to sense which halls had Fire Nation soldiers in them. Just as I make it onto the deck, the alarm sounds. I sigh before running forward to the edge of the deck and launching myself into the water. Feet pound on the metal deck above me as soldiers run around searching for me. I smile faintly then swim away from the ship. The shore is quite and the reeds and weeds offer good cover.

lxxxXXXxxxl

They stood on bank as Katara started to teach Aang. "This is a pretty basic move." Katara says, "but it still took me months to perfect, so don't be frustrated if you don't get it right away. Just push and pull the water like this." Katara drops into a stance and begins to rock backwards and forwards moving her hands in a similar way so that the water started to lap at the shore in time with her movements. "The key is getting the wrist movement right."

"Like this?" Aang asks mimicking her.

"That's almost right." Katara says. "If you keep practicing, I'm sure eventually-"

"Hey, I'm bending it already!" Aang says as the water laps against the shore.

"I can't believe you got that so quickly." Katara says surprised. "It took me two months to learn that move."

"Well, you had to figure it out on your own. I'm lucky enough to have a great teacher."

"Thanks."

"So, what's next?"

"This is a more difficult move. I call it streaming the water." Katara says shakily pulling water from the river. Aang starts to stream the water like Katara swinging it around his body in a kind of dance. "It's harder than it looks so don't be disappointed if-" Katara starts to stay and drops her water as she realizes that Aang already has it. Aang streams the water over his head and returns it to the river.

"How was that?" he asks.

"Nice work," Katara says dryly. "Though the over-the-head flare was unnecessary."

"Sorry." Aang bows solemnly then smiles and says, "Well, don't stop now, keep 'em coming!"

"Well, I kinda know this one other move, but it's pretty hard. I haven't even totally figured it out yet. The idea is to create a big, powerful wave." Katara says and takes a stance. She raises her hands up slowly and the water rises with her until it reaches a chest height then collapses.

"So, like this?" Aang leaps forward and does the same move. The wave towers over them and starts to fall towards Sokka.

"Aang!" the warrior groans before the wave swept him off of Appa. Aang apologizes softly.

"Looks like I got the hang of that move!" Aang says perking up. "What else ya got?"

"That's enough practice for today." Katara says angrily

"Yeah, I'll say." Sokka said looking down the river, "You just practiced our supplies down the river."

"Uh, sorry." Aang says guiltily. "I'm sure we can find somewhere to replace all that stuff."

"It was hard enough when you were just an airbender..." Sokka says and sinks beneath the surface of the water letting out a mouthful of bubbles.

lxxxXXXxxxl

I crouch in the reeds by the water's edge. Several Fire Nation soldiers are stomping around looking for me. I shift backwards quietly when one passes right in front of my hiding spot. He stops and looks around. I hold my breath hoping he'll continue walking. He does and I let out a faint sigh of relief. I need to move to a better spot. I move backwards and my foot slips in the mud, landing with a splash in the river. I hear the shout and hold still hoping they'll pass over me. They don't and continue to come closer until like a spooked rabbit-squirrel I flee.

"There she is."

"Quick, someone grab her." I duck as a fireball tears through the air above me. Monkey-feathers. I dash towards the water and the soldiers let out a cry of alarm as I jump. I hit the water with a splash and come up to take a breath of air before sliding under the water again. A fire blasts hits the water in front of me; I jerk back in shock and inhale a bunch of water. I swim up for air and another fire blast hits the water next to me. I growl, whip around towards them, and dive back down into the water. I sense there heat signals above me. Perfect, they'll never see what's coming.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely." Sokka instructs.

"Uh, make those two copper pieces, Sokka. I couldn't say no to this whistle." Aang says and pulls out a whistle to blow in it. Nothing happened except that Momo chattered on Aang's shoulder.

"It doesn't even work. "Sokka accuses. "See, even Momo think it's a piece of junk."

"No offense, Aang, but I'll hold on to the money from now on." Katara says. Aang drops the money into her outstretched hand without meeting her eyes.

"Earth nation! Fire nation! Water nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here! Don't be shy, come one by!" a strange man yells at the port. "Oh! You there!" He said pointing to them, "I can see by your clothing that you're world travelling types. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?"

"Sure!" Aang says. "Ugh, but what are curios?"

"I'm not entirely sure. But we got them." He says with a shrug and leads them to the boat.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Katara stared at an eerie ornate monkey statue with rubies for eyes on one of the shelves before shaking her head and walking away.

"I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur." A man suddenly spoke up, as he walked into the light with a colorful reptile-parrot perched on his shoulder, "That beast would fetch me a hefty sum if you'd be interested in bartering."

Aang held Momo protectively to his chest, "Momo's not for sale."

Katara had wandered deeper into the ship and paused when she spotted a shelf where a couple of scrolls were kept, grabbing one that had the Water Tribe symbol on it. The dark-haired girl opened the scroll and gasped quietly in surprise when she saw Waterbending instructions.

"Look at this, Aang! It's Waterbending scroll!" She calls excitedly. Aang walked over and looked over her shoulder, "Check out these crazy moves!"

Aang turned to look at the Captain excitedly, "Where did you get a Waterbending scroll?"

The man snatched the scroll from the table and rolled it back up, "Let's just say I got it up North, at a most reasonable price, free."

"Wait a minute… Sea loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise," Sokka spoke, his voice rose, "And pet reptile-parrots?" He turned to face the hawker from the street, "You guys are pirates!"

The man put his arms around Sokka's shoulders, "We prefer to think of ourselves as, high risk traders."

"So, how much for the, uh, _traded_, scroll?" Katara asked leaning against the table after looking at the two copper pieces in her hand.

"I've already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom." The captain says, "Unless of course, you kids have two hundred gold pieces on you right now."

Aang whispered quietly to Katara, "I know how deal with these guys, Katara. Pirates love to haggle." Katara raised an eyebrow but silently gave him their last two coins. "Watch and learn." Aang said with a smirk as he sauntered over to the counter then leaned against it and began talking in a pirate-like voice, "Let's say to the price of, one copper piece!" Aang dramatically presented a single copper piece, causing the captain to laugh.

"The price is two hundred gold pieces. I don't haggle on items this rare."

Aang smirked confidently and continued talking, "Okay, two copper pieces!"

"It's not amusing the second time, boy!" The pirate captain snarled.

Katara touched Aang's shoulder, whispering quietly, "Aang, can we get out of here? I feel like we're getting weird looks?"

Aang still talking like a pirate said, "Aye, we be casting off now."

lxxxXXXxxxl

I launch out of the water and start attacking the group of soldiers hitting their pressure points to render them unconscious. A fireball hit the water when I dodged out of the way. Zhao takes a firebending stance across from me. I take my own stance in preparation. He launches two fireballs and then kicks a blade of fire at me. I duck away from the fireballs and then pull the blade apart with my own bending. I smile faintly at his shock. A flash of anger crosses his face and he starts punching fire out in my direction. I tear some of the attacks apart and dodge others. Please Agni let this work. I drop to my hands kick a burst of fire at him then whip back up creating a fire dagger in my hand. Zhao flies back and hits the tree hard. Unfortunately I don't sense the firebender behind me until it's too late. Stupid fire was hot enough to block any heat vision I had. He trips me and forces one of my arms up behind my back. Great, captured, _again_.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"What was that all about, Katara?" Aang asked her curiously as they walked down the gangplank and back onto the street.

"Yeah, I was just starting to browse through their boomerang collection." Sokka added.

"I'll just feel a lot better once we get away from here?" the waterbender replies.

"Hey you!" The pirate hawker from before shouted at them jumping down from the ship, "Get back here!"

Aang smirked and turned around, "Well, well, look who's come to their senses. Told you the haggling would pay off."

More armed pirates jump off the ship and rush towards them. "I don't think these pirates are here to trade with us!" Katara cried out as they turn around and run, the pirates close behind.

The three ran through the market, turning a corner sharply and Katara froze a puddle behind them, causing one of the pirates to slip and fall. Sokka and Katara ran down an alleyway, bumping into the cabbage merchant's cart while Aang jumped through the small space between the top of the cart and the cabbage. Aang sent a blast of wind at the cart, throwing it into the pirates that were right behind them.

"My cabbages!" the merchant shrieked, "This place is worse than Omashu!"

Katara yelped as another group of pirates jumped out in front of them and began chasing them back down the street they had just come down. "I hope that lemur of yours has nine lives!" a pirates shouted as they continued to chase the three of them. They ran around a corner into a dead end. They whirled around to face the pirates incoming pirates.

"Now, who gets to taste the steel of my blade first?" The hawker asked as he twirled his knifes around expertly.

"No thanks!" Aang stated hurled a blast of air at the pirates, sending them stumbling backwards, and then he snapped his glider open and ran towards them. "Hold on tight!" Aang shouted

"I thought we were running _away _from the pirates!" Katara yelled, but grabbed onto the glider with her brother.

"Just hang on!" Aang called out as he flew over the pirates' heads. Sokka and Katara had to step on the pirates head because the extra weight pulled the glider down slightly.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Did you really think you could escape?" Zhao asked pacing in front of me. I coughed as one of the soldiers punches me in the stomach. "You will tell us where the Avatar is girl because I don't take well to traitors." He motions to his men to take me back to the ship. This is not going to end well.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"I used to kinda look up to pirates." Aang said snapping his gilder shut, "But those guys are terrible."

"I know. That's why I took…" Katara said, with a mischievous tone causing Aang and Sokka to look at her in shock when she held out the Waterbending scroll with a flourish, "This."

"No way!" Aang gasped in surprise.

"Isn't it great?" Katara asked excitedly.

"No wonder they were trying to hack us up!" Sokka shouted angrily," You stole their Waterbending scroll."

"I prefer to think of it as high risk trading," she joked, and Aang laughed.

"Good one, Katara."

"Sokka, where do you think _they _got it?" Katara asked, "They stole it from a Waterbender!"

"It doesn't matter." Sokka snapped back, "You put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes!"

"These are _real_ Waterbending forms." Katara shouted, "You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn Waterbending!"

"Whatever." Sokka muttered walking away.

"Well, what's done is done." Aang said calmly, "We have it, we might as well learn from it."

lxxxXXXxxxl

"I just want to try this one move first and then it's all yours." Katara said, then handed the scroll to Aang to hold open, "Here, hold it open for me. The single water whip. Looks doable."

Aang, and Sokka watched as Katara attempted the whip but only succeeded in hitting herself in the forehead, leaving a large, red welt like a third eye. "Ow!"

Sokka started laughing at her and Katara whipped around to glare at him. "What's so funny?" She demanded.

"I'm sorry, but you deserved that." Sokka stated then turned to Aang, "You've been duped. She's only interested in teaching herself."

"Aang will get his turn once I figure out the water whip!" Katara snapped then attempted the move again, only this time hitting Momo's backside. Momo screeched angrily at her, "Ugh! Why can't I get this stupid move?!"

"You'll get it." Aang said reassuringly and put the scroll on a tree stump before walking closer to the river, not noticing the glare Katara gave him, "You just got to shift your weight through the stances." Aang mimicked the moves on the scroll perfectly and created the water whip with his first try. "There, see?" Aang said with a smile, "The key to bending is—"

"Will you please shut your air hole?!" Katara screamed angrily and loomed over Aang, "Believe it or not your infinite wisdom gets a little old sometimes. Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you're so naturally gifted?!"

"What?!" She demanded seeing Sokka's glare then turned to look at Aang, who was staring at her with tearful eyes, making Katara instantly feel guilty, "Oh my gosh, Aang, I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me. But you know what, it won't happen again." Katara picked the scroll up and handed it to Aang. "Here, this is yours." Katara said softly, "I don't want to have anything to with it anymore."

"It's okay, Katara." Aang said forgivingly.

"What about Momo?" Sokka asked gesturing to the lemur rubbing his backside, "He's the real victim here."

"I'm sorry Momo." Katara apologized, kneeling behind the lemur and rubbing his ears.

"And what about me?" Sokka asked, "There was that time you—"

"No more apologies!" Katara snapped at her sibling.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Katara opened her eyes and checked that the others were asleep. Aang lay on a thick layer of leaves while Sokka was curled up in his sleeping bag. Katara got up and grabbed the scroll from Aang's bag before turning to sneak off. She spun around and came face to face with Momo. He chattered softly. "Shh! Momo, go back to sleep." He chirped again and Katara spun back around. "Shh!"

She walked through the trees till she made it to the water's edge. She started going through the motions of the water whip again. "Shoot! Come on water, work with me here!" She tried again but it just crashed back down uselessly in the river. She did it again but hit herself, "Ahhhh! Stupid scroll! Okay, Katara, shift your weight through the stances." She got it moving but it fell back in the water. She hears a strange noise and went to see what it was. Peering through some bushes she saw a Fire Nation boat. She turned to run but ran right into a large pirate who grabbed her. "No, let go of me!" She threw water into his face. She ran from him but only to run into someone else.

"I'll save you from the pirates." Zuko said grabbing her wrists.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Tell me where he is and I won't hurt you or your brother." Zuko stated from in front of where Katara was tied to a tree.

"Go jump in the river!" Katara snapped and glared at him.

"Try to understand." Zuko said after a moment, "I need to capture him to restore something I've lost, my honor." Zuko came around to her side and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Perhaps in exchange I can restore something you've lost." He held up Katara's mother's necklace to her neck briefly.

"My mother's necklace!" Katara exclaimed. "How did you get that?!" Katara demanded.

"I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering." Zuko taunted, "_Tell me_ where he is."

"No!" Katara shouted defiantly.

The pirate captain suddenly stepped forward, "Enough of this necklace garbage! You promised a scroll!"

"I wonder how much this is worth…" Zuko said as he took the Waterbending scroll from his waistband and held it over the flame flickering in his other hand. The pirates gasped in fear, "A lot, apparently. Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here."

"Fine." The captain growled, scowling darkly as he and his men headed into the woods.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Sokka rolled over in his sleeping back and yawned "Huh?" He muttered when he noticed that Katara's sleeping bag was empty and cold, "Where did she go?" He crawled out of his sleeping bag and with a grim realization checked Aang's bag, digging inside for the Waterbending scroll only to come up empty handed. "I don't believe it." He muttered in irritation as Aang sat up with a yawn.

"What's wrong?" Aang asked rubbing his eyes sleepily then frowned when he noticed Katara was gone, "Where's Katara?"

"She took the scroll!" Sokka said exasperatedly as he dumped out the bag, "She's obsessed with that thing. It's just a matter of time before she gets us all in deep—AH!" Sokka yelled as rope wrapped around his wrists and yanked him off his feet. Sokka rolled away as the pirate in front of him attacked again, grabbed his club as he jumped to his feet and charged the pirate with a war cry.

Aang got into an Airbending stance, glanced behind him and then spun around when he saw another pirate with a net attached to the end of two crossbows standing among the trees. The pirate fired the net and Aang launched a blast of air but the air passed through the holes and the net tangled around Aang, capturing him. The captured airbender was grabbed by another pirate and was dragged away, while another knocked Sokka to the ground then ran after the pirate dragging Aang.

"Oh, what?" Sokka shouted as he stood up, "I'm not good enough to kidnap? AH!" Sokka yelled as another net was shot at him and he was dragged in the same direction Aang had been already been taken.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Nice work." Zuko praised the pirates as the reappear with Sokka and Aang and then frowned slightly when he noticed that the girl with the tattoos wasn't with them.

"Aang, this is all _my _fault." Katara says guilty.

"No Katara, it isn't." Aang reassured.

"Yeah," Iroh countered, "It kind of is."

Zuko steps towards the pirate captain, the Waterbending scroll in hand, "Give me the boy."

"_You _give _us _the scroll." The Captain retorted without moving.

Sokka looked up at the pirate captain in mock surprise, "You're really gonna hand over the _Avatar_ for a stupid piece of parchment?"

"Don't listen to him," Zuko ordered, glaring at Sokka angrily, "he's trying to turn us against each other!"

The Captain ignored Zuko and looked down at Aang, and addressed Sokka, "You're friend is the Avatar?"

"Sure is," Sokka confirmed on of his sly grin that says '_I'm up to no good'_, "And I'll bet he'll fetch you a lot more on the black market than that fancy scroll."

"Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!" Zuko snarled and pointed threateningly at Sokka.

"Yeah, Sokka, you really should shut your mouth." Aang whispered to said Water Tribe peasant.

Sokka shrugged his shoulders and looked at one of the pirates, "I'm just sayin' it's bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar. You guys would be set for _life_." Aang bites back a smile realizing what Sokka is doing and then the urge to smile vanishes when he thinks that what Sokka is doing is a very Xena like move.

"Keep the scroll," The Captain sneered, "We can buy a hundred with the reward we'll get for the kid." The pirates turn their back on Zuko.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me." Zuko and two of his soldiers send a wave of fire at the pirates causing them to jump back. The pirate hawker threw a smoke bomb, and the pirates in the front vanish into the smoke.

Sokka and Aang begin to struggle with their ropes when three Fire Nation soldiers began running towards them. Four pirates jump in front of them and surrounded Aang and Sokka, throwing a smoke bomb and covering the area with the gray haze of artificial smoke.

In the meantime, Momo climbed down the tree Katara was tied to and hurriedly chewed through the rope binding Katara's wrists. "Thanks, Momo," Katara said as she raced towards the river and boats, "I owe you a bushel of apples."

lxxxXXXxxxl

Aang coughed as he looked around in the smoke, yelping quietly as he dodged a knife that cut through his ropes at the same time. Then he had to dodge a pike with another yelp that cut the last rope and he began to quickly try and find his way out of the smoke.

"Aang, are you there?" Sokka shouted as he crawled on the ground, jerking back when a blade landed in front of him before he used it to saw through his rope bindings.

"I'm over here!" Aang shouted back, "Follow my voice!"

"Where?" Sokka called back, "I can't find you!"

"I'm right here!" Aang yelled then scowling he Airbended the smoke away, revealing the pirates and soldiers surrounding him and he immediately Airbended the smoke and dust back, "Never mind, I'll find you!"

Sokka crawled out of the smokescreen on his hands and knees, Aang vaulted over his head a moment later in a full sprint.

"Run!" he shouted over his shoulder as Sokka jumped to his feet and followed Aang's advice.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Katara, you're okay!" Aang shouted happily as he and Sokka found her trying to push the pirate ship into the water.

"Help me get this boat back in the water so we can get outta here." Katara ordered and the two boys joined her in trying to push the boat from the bank, but the boat refused to budge.

"We'd need a team of rhinos to budge this ship." Sokka stated as they stepped back.

"A team of rhinos," Aang started as a he looked over at Katara, "Or two Waterbenders."

Katara smiled shyly at him and then the two moved so they were standing across from each other. They then began to push and pull the water until the boat rose up.

"Everybody in!" Katara commanded.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Sokka, can't you make this thing go any faster?" Aang asked worriedly as he looked back at the pirates rapidly gaining on their ship.

"I don't know how." Sokka called back as he tried to steer the wheel, "This thing wasn't made by the Water Tribe."

The pirates pulled Zuko's boat alongside the ship and jumped aboard but are quickly swept away by Aang Waterbending a large wave over the surface of the ship. One of the pirates managed to stay on and as he climbed to his feet, Katara created a perfect water whip, throwing overboard.

"Hey, you did the water whip!" Aang congratulated excitedly.

"I couldn't have done it without your help." Katara stated and she smiled up at the bald airbender.

"Would you two quit congratulating each other and help me out?" Sokka demanded from where he was being attacked by two pirates.

Momo is being chased by the reptile-parrot and the lemur quickly begins to scale the top mast, leaping and flying around it before entangling the reptile-parrot in the triangular flag.

Katara gave a terrified shout, "Aang, look!"

Aang looked up and paled slightly when he saw that the ship was heading towards a huge waterfall.

"Oh no…" He muttered then spun around when he heard the sound of knife leaving its sheath, coming face-to-face with the hawker pirate who was holding his knife threateningly.

Aang took a step back then pulled out the bison whistle blow it. While the pirate stood there staring at Aang in confusion, Sokka came up behind him and pushed him off of the ship. "Have you lost your mind?!" Sokka demanded, "This is no time for flute practice!"

Aang ignored him as he stared in horror at the rapidly approaching waterfall. "We can stop the boat!" Katara shouted suddenly and turned to Aang, "Aang, together, push and pull the water!"

The two stood with their backs to each other at the front of the boat and began to push and pull the water, creating two small whirlpools that stopped the ship from going over the edge.

"It's working, it's slowing down!" Katara shouted happily, "We're doing it!"

"But we have another problem." Sokka yelled as Zuko's boat with the pirates in it sailed straight toward them.

The boat rammed into the ship, sending the three stumbling towards the edge of the ship. "Jump!" Aang shouted, grabbing onto one of Sokka's and Katara's hands as they leapt off the boat and over the waterfall with a scream. Appa appeared and the three landed on his back as the ship and boat fell to the bottom of the waterfall with a resounding crash.

"I knew a bison whistle would come in handy. Thanks, Appa." Aang stated with a grin.

"Yeah, we owe ya one." Sokka says patting the ten-ton bison's side.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Aang, I still owe you an apology." Katara begins to say. "You were just so good at water bending without really trying. I got so competitive that I put us all in danger. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, Katara."

"Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway?" Katara asks.

"Is that really how you feel?" Sokka asks, pulling the scroll from his shirt.

"The scroll!" Katara exclaims reaching for it.

"Uh uh uh... First, what did you learn?" Sokka asks pulling it away from her reaching hand.

"Stealing is wrong." Katara says snatching the scroll, "Unless it's from pirates!" Aang and she both laugh loudly.

"Good one Katara," Aang manages to say through his laughter. His laughter faded as once again he remembered their missing friend.

**I decided to show the others because I wouldn't have had enough to write this chapter, and yes Xena is a firebender and a chi-blocker.**


	11. Ch10: The Storm

**Book One: Water**

**Chapter Ten: The Storm**

_Aang smiled happily riding Appa. Sokka flew alongside him on Aang's glider while Katara rode on a giant Momo on Aang's others side. Xena sat on his other side, frowning slightly._

"_We need you, Aang." Katara said, her voice ringing out slightly and Aang smiled over at her._

"_I need you too." He said then his eyes widened in horror as the clear sky darkened and ugly gray storm clouds surrounded them._

"_Be careful, guys!" Aang shouted worriedly, and then looked around in confusion, "Guys?"_

_His heartbeat quickened when he saw that Katara and Sokka had disappeared. Xena threw a comforting arm around him. Aang looked towards the rapidly approaching storm clouds and Gyatso suddenly appeared, floating in front of them._

"_Gyatso?" He asked in confusion._

"_Why did you disappear?" Gyatso's voice rang out with an otherworldly authority, questioning and sad._

"_I didn't mean too." Aang replied regretfully, dropping Appa's reins and reaching out to Gyatso only for him to dissipate into black smoke and Aang covered his eyes with his arms._

"_We need you and Xena, Aang." Gyatso's voice rang out again just as Appa flew into the black storm clouds._

_Aang screamed as he clutched Appa's reins, his eyes closed tightly against the blinding hail when lightning flashed across the sky. He screamed again as plummeted into the water with Appa and Xena, the sound of their screaming blending together before they were completely submerged under the roiling ocean. Appa's reins slipped from his hand as blackness crept around his vision and unconsciousness began to drag him under just like the ocean was doing._

"_We need you, Aang." Multiple voices belonging to Katara, Sokka, Gyatso and many others from the four nations filled his ears as he sank further into the water, "We need you!"_

_"Shh, Aang you're okay, I'm always with you," Xena whispered wrapping her arms around him in a hug._

_Lightning flashed again, revealing the dark silhouette of the Fire Lord and-_

Aang gasped and jerked awake, sitting up so quickly that he startled Momo into jumping off him and onto Katara then onto Sokka. Katara sat up with a gasp followed by Sokka who was holding his bone-jaw knife and boomerang.

"What's going on?" Sokka asked sleepily as he looked around, his knife and boomerang in hand, "Did we get captured again?"

"It's nothing." Aang said quickly to reassure his friends as he curled up on the ground with his back to the siblings, "I just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Sokka mumbled as he lay back down in his sleeping bag.

Katara frowned slightly at her brother before looking over at Aang's hunched form with concern. "Are you alright, Aang?" She asked softly, her voice calm and compassionate.

"I'm okay." Aang replied, curling up in an even tighter ball.

"You seem to be having a lot of nightmares lately." She persisted, "You want to tell me about it?"

"I think I just need rest." Aang said softly, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again to stare at the ground beneath him.

"You guys wanna hear about my dream?" Sokka asked excitedly as he sat up but pouted and laid back down when Katara glared at him, "That's okay. I didn't want to talk about it anyway."

Katara looked at Aang worriedly for another moment before lying back down and going to sleep. Aang closed his eyes tightly, desperately wishing Xena was there but relaxed remembering how her voice had sounded in his head.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Appa yawned widely and placed his head back on the sandy beach, covering his eyes with his front paws. "Look at those clear skies, buddy." Aang commented sitting on Appa's head and waving at the clear blue sky, "Should be smooth flying."

Katara looked inside a blue bag then dumped it upside down but only crumbs fells out, which Momo quickly gobbled up with a happy chitter. "Well, we better smoothly fly ourselves to a market, 'cause we're out of food." Katara stated as she walked up Appa's tail. She climbed into the saddle where Sokka was tying their supplies down.

"Guys, wait." Sokka stated, pausing what he was doing and holding up his hands then turning to look at Katara and Aang, "This was in my dream. We shouldn't go to the market." Katara and Aang paused what they were doing to look at Sokka curiously.

"What happened in your dream?" Katara asked, sounding slightly exasperated.

"Food eats people!" Sokka exclaimed as he made a fearful face and held up his hands. Katara and Aang gave the older boy deadpanned expressions and shook their heads. "Also, Momo could talk." Sokka continued and pointed at the lemur then crossed his arms and glared at Momo, "You said some very unkind things." Momo pinned his ears back and chattered at the boy.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Zhao had put me in a different cell after I tried to escape again. I sigh softly and try to think of another way to get out. Aang's fear had pulled me into his dream and I had barely been able to get a message to him. The two guards glare at me steadily, which is really creepy. I struggle to come up with a plan of action but finally give up and find myself thinking about the past.

_"Listen to the wind, Xena," Gyatso says as I sit meditating._

_I sigh faintly and try to keep myself calm so the candles around the room don't flicker and show how distracted I am. I finally manage to calm myself and feel the balance my chi settling brings me. A few seconds later the door slams open and the flames shoot up around the room at my surprise._

_"Monk Gyatso, Guardian Xena, Monk Pasang summons you to a meeting," Monk Tashi says excitedly. I blink in shock at the title then rise fluidly to my feet - though not as fluidly as Gyatso who uses airbending to help him stand- to follow him and Gyatso from the room. The fact that I'm being summoned and the use of my title can only mean one thing._

lxxxXXXxxxl

"It's good. It's perfect. I'm telling you!" A merchant woman insisted angrily.

"I don't think I like the sound of that swishing." Katara stated as she shook the melon in her hand.

"Swishing means it's ripe!" The melon merchant woman snapped, "It's the ripe juices swishing around!"

"I think it's true, Katara." Aang quipped from his spot leaning against the other side of the stall with Sokka, "Swishing means it's ripe."

"I just realized we're out of money anyway." Katara said with a small smile as she put the melon back with the others and walked away with Aang.

The merchant woman growled angrily and snatched the basket of fruit and vegetables from Sokka's hand, kicking the poor boy in the backside as he walked past her after his sister and Aang.

The three stood on the dock. Sokka rubbed the spot on his backside where she had kicked him.

"Out of food and out of money." He grumbled sourly, "Now what are we supposed to do?"

"You could get a job, smart guy." Katara commented dryly.

"We shouldn't go out there!" the old woman half yelled. "Please, the fish can wait." She pleaded. "There's going to be a terrible storm."

"Ah, you're crazy." The old man snapped, waving his hand dismissingly. "It's a nice day. No clouds, no wind, no nothing, so quit you're nagging, woman."

"Maybe we should find some shelter?" Aang suggested his voice shaky.

"Are you kidding shelter from what," Sokka says.

"My joints say there's going to be a storm! A bad one!" the old woman argued.

"Well, it's your joints against my brain." The old man said.

"Then I hope your brain can find someone else to haul that fish, cause I ain't coming!"

"Then I'll find a new fish hauler and pay him double what you got! How do you like that?"

Sokka jogged forward, his hand in the air, "I'll go."

"You're hired!" The elderly fisherman said pointing at Sokka and giving the old woman a smug look.

"What?" Sokka questioned when he saw the looks Aang and Katara were giving him from behind, "You said get a job, and he's paying double."

"Double?" The fisherman asked, "Who told you that nonsense?" Sokka's expression dropped.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"Sokka, maybe this isn't such a good idea." Aang gestured to the dark clouds rolling in as Sokka walked passed him with a crate, "Look at the sky."

"I said I was going to do this job." Sokka stated as he walked onto the fisherman's boat, "I can't back out just because of some bad weather!"

"The boy with tattoos has some sense." The fisherman's wife snapped at her husband as she walked away, "You should listen to him!"

"Boy with tattoos?" the fisherman mumbled then turned around and looked at Aang, "Airbender tattoos… We'll I'll be a hog monkey's uncle. You're the Avatar, ain't ya?"

"That's right." Katara replied happily as she and Aang smiled at the old fisherman as he stopped in front of Aang.

"Well, don't be so smiley about it." The fisherman snapped and they frowned at him in confusion, "The Avatar disappeared for a hundred years! You turned your back on the world!"

"Don't yell at him!" Katara shouted angrily as she stepped forward and glared at the fisherman, "Aang would never turn his back on anyone!

"Oh, he wouldn't, huh?" The fisherman asked sarcastically as he scratched his beard, "Then I guess I just have imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering!"

Aang's eyes widened and he looked at the fisherman sadly. Katara scowled and stepped in front of the younger Airbender, her hands on her hips.

"Aang is the bravest person I know. He's done nothing but help people and save lives since I him!" Katara defended Aang fiercely while Aang backed away slowly from them, his eyes widening even further, "It's not his fault he disappeared, right Aang?" Katara turned to look at Aang then frowned in concern when she saw him backing away from them, "Aang, what's wrong?" He unfurled his glider and jumped into the air.

The fisherman decided to make it worse, "That's right! Keep flying!"

"You're a horrible old man!" Katara screamed at the fisherman then brushed past him and hopped onto Appa's head, grabbing his reins. "Appa, yip-yip!" Katara said purposely twisting the reins so the backwash from Appa taking off soaked the old man.

"Hey," Sokka whined as he walked back onto the deck, "They left without saying goodbye!"

"Your friends ain't too polite, are they?" The fisherman asked in a grumble as he tried unsuccessfully to wipe the water from his clothes.

"I know!" Sokka exclaimed, "This one time, I was-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." The fisherman snapped and shoved a crate into the Water Tribe boy's hands, "Get below deck!"

lxxxXXXxxxl

_"There has been an attack on the Hyben tribe," Pasang says to gasps of shock._

_"So it has finally begun," Gyatso says calmly._

_"It seems so," Pasang says and I bow my head quietly in grief for the non-bender Air Nomadic tribe._

_I sniff and then look up, "Is it time?"_

_"Yes, Guardian Xena, it is time," Pasang says and turns to Gyatso and Tashi, "will you go fetch him?"_

lxxxXXXxxxl

Katara spotted a ledge with a cave on the mountain Appa was flying by and she quickly tugged the bison's reins in that direction, landing him just outside the entrance.

The Waterbender hurried into the cave, bending the water from her clothes but stopped when she saw Aang sitting on the floor of the cave with his back to her and his head bowed.

"I'm sorry for running away." Aang said quietly, without turning to face her.

"It's okay. That fisherman was way out of line."

"Actually, he wasn't." Aang's head was still bowed.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, crouching down next to him.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Aang looked at her briefly before turning away.

"It has to do with your dream, doesn't it?" she asks putting an arm around his shoulders. "Talk to me."

"Well, it's kind of a long story." Appa growled at him and Aang turned to pat his nose.

"I'm going to try to get a fire going." Katara said.

Aang started as soon as Katara was mostly dried off from the warm blaze. "I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar." he started looking up; "I was playing with some other kids just outside the south wall. I was trying to teach them how to do the air scooter."

_First you form a ball," Aang quickly rotated his hands to make a ball out of air," then you have to get on really quick." He jumped onto the ball and laughed as he rode the airscooter around the training area._

_"Ok, here it goes turn," one of the other airbenders says forming a ball._

_"Quick, get on!" He tried to jump on but lost his balance and started to spin around on it. It eventually dispersed and he landed on the ground with a thud. "You kind of have to balance on it like it's a top."_

_"Man, that's hard." He rubbed his bald head and another of the airbenders walked up to him and tugged on his shirt, "Where'd you learn that trick Aang?"_

_"I made it up." he responded._

_"Wow!" his friends gasped in awe._

_He heard Gyasto call his name, "Aang, come with us we need to speak with you."_

lxxxXXXxxxl

_"How do you know it's me?" Aang asked unsurely._

_"We have known you were the Avatar for some time." Tashi tells him, bending a rolled up cloth to him. "Do you remember these?" The cloth landed and unrolled in front of him to show four toys. One was a little toy turtle, the other was a propeller, the next was a hog-monkey and the fourth was a hand drum._

_"Those were some of my favorite toys when I was little." Aang said picking up the propeller._

_"You choses these among thousands of toys, Aang." the monk said, "The toys you picked were the four Avatar relics. These belonged to Avatar's past, your own past lives."_

_"I just chose them because they seemed fun." he replied while pulling the cord on the propeller sending it spinning into the air. I shake my head silently and push myself off of the pillar taking over the conversation._

_"You chose them because they were familiar." I said, watching the propeller fly past the elders._

_"Normally, we would have told you of your identity when you turned sixteen." Gyasto said, "But there are troubling signs, storm clouds are gathering."_

_"I fear that war may be upon us, young Avatar." Head Monk Pasang said frowning._

_"We need you, Aang." Gyatso says and I frown when Aang hangs his head._

lxxxXXXxxxl

"So, you were upset that you were the Avatar? Why wouldn't you feel excited about it?" Katara asked.

"Well... I didn't know how to feel. All I knew is that after I found out, everything began changing."

_"Hey, not bad!" Aang said watching some of the other airbenders riding on air scooters. "You guys have been practicing!"_

_"Not only that, we made up a game you can play with the air scooters." A boy said laughing._

_"Great!" Aang quickly bent his own scooter but as soon as he got on it the other boys jumped off theirs._

_I looked at them in confusion, "What's going on?"_

_"Now that Aang's the Avatar, it's kind of an unfair advantage for whichever team he's on." A tall boy told me._

_"But I'm still the same nothing's changed. So, What, I can't play?" Aang demands_

_"That's the only fair way." he said. Aang let his air scooter disperse and turned around. "Oh, ok." He walked under the arch to the dorms. I hiss sharply and glare at the boy in anger before turning around to catch up._

_"Sorry, Aang." a younger boy called after him._

lxxxXXXxxxl

_"Xena, why do you keep following me around," Aang asks looking up at me as we head to Gyatso's room. I stop walking and he stops as well._

_"Because I'm your guardian, Aang and it's my duty to protect you," I glance at the ground._

_"You're what," he shouts at me and I flinch._

_"I'm sorry Aang I really wanted to tell you," I say meeting his eyes. He glares at me angrily and then stomps away to Gyatso's room without me._

lxxxXXXxxxl

_"Very interesting move, young one." Gyatso commented after Aang had moved one of his Pai Sho tiles absentmindedly._

_"What do you mean?" Aang asked, looking at his mentor._

_Gyatso use airbending to create a whirlwind to flip a part of Aang's shirt over his head, covering his eyes. The monk then quickly moved two pieces on the board around and Aang flipped his clothing back into place._

_"Hey!" Aang protested and pointed at the board with a grin. The two looked at each other then began to laugh, the door to the room opened to reveal Monk Tashi._

_"You're playing games with him?" The stern monk demanded, "The Avatar should be training!"_

_"Aang has already trained enough for today." Gyatso remarked calmly _

_"Time is short." The Elder snapped then gestured for Aang to follow him as he started to walk away, "Come with me. I must test you on some high level techniques."_

_"No." Gyatso stated, holding his hand out and stopping Aang from following Tashi, "As long as I'm his guardian, I will decide when he trains…and when he gets his butt kicked at Pai Sho."_

_"Humph."_

lxxxXXXxxxl

Aang looked at the fire dancing in front of him, "Then just as I was starting to feel better, something worse happened…"

_'"Aang needs to have freedom and fun." Monk Gyatso stated firmly as he looked at Monk Pasang, "He needs to grow up as normal boy."_

_"You cannot keep protecting him from his destiny!" Monk Tashi scoffed. I glance between the two monks._

_"Gyatso, I know you mean well," Monk Pasang stated soothingly, "But you are letting your affection for the boy cloud your judgment."_

_"All I want is what is best for him." Gyatso replied firmly._

_"But what we need is what's best for the world." the head monk said, "You and Aang must be separated. The Avatar and his Guardian will be sent away to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training."_

_Unbeknownst to the Elders -but not to me because of my heat vision-, Aang had heard every word from a small hole in the room where he could see into the meeting room and he flees without seeing my reaction. "No," I say stepping forward with a growl, "I will not allow you to send Aang away." The candles flare up to my anger._

_"Control yourself, Guardian Xena," Pasang commands._

_"You are not splitting Aang and Gyatso apart," I say angrily. I see the Tenshi tense visibly and his heat signature gets hotter. I duck instinctively and Tenshi's hand flies over my head in his failed effort at slapping me._

_"Tenshi, we do not resort to violence," Pasang shouts rising to his feet. "And you," he turns to me, "will get a hold of your anger and go pack." I glare and spin away disrespectfully without a word. I bow my head to Gyatso before I leave._

lxxxXXXxxxl

"That's awful, Aang." Katara said softly as she reached for him, "I don't know what to say."

"How could they do that to me?" Aang demanded suddenly as he jumped to his feet and paced around the cave, "They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!" Air swirled around him as his anger increased with each word and his arrows glowed, the fire flaring up.

"Whoa!" Katara gasped as she dodged a few cinders from the fire, "Hot cinders!" Aang glared at the wall for a moment, his tattoos glowing before fading away as he calmed down.

"I'm sorry I got so mad." Aang apologized as he walked back to sit by the fire.

"You have a right to be angry," Katara assured him as he sat down across from her then crossed her arms, "After the monks sent you away like that."

"Well," Aang hesitated and looked to the side, "That's not exactly what happened…"

Katara waited for him to continue and after a pause, he did.

"I was afraid, confused." Aang explained quietly, "I didn't know what to do…"

_I finish packing my bags bitterly and slide my swords into my bedroll. I see a flash of orange and blink in shock when I realize it's Aang. '_He's running_' I realize and clench my teeth before grabbing my bag and running to intercept him._

_"Aang," I shout when I notice Appa take off. I growl push myself faster and grab a balcony railing to push myself into a flip. I land in Appa's saddle with a jarring thump and Aang spins to face me._

_"Xena," he yelps._

_"You-are-not-leaving-without-me," I gasp out between breaths. He looks at me and then relaxes as he nods his head._

lxxxXXXxxxl

I never saw Gyatso again…" Aang stated quietly as he remembered flying through the storm with Xena then crashing into the frigid water, "The next thing I knew, I waking up in your arms after you found me and Xena in the iceberg."

"You ran away…" Katara said sympathetically.

"Then the Fire Nation attacked our temple. My people needed me and I wasn't there to help."

"You don't know what would have-"

"The world needed me and I wasn't there to help!" Aang cut Katara off, throwing his arms in the air.

"Aang…" Katara said softly but Aang cut her off again.

"The fisherman was right!" He said his tone harsh, "I did turn my back on the world."

"You're being too hard on yourself, even if you did run away." Katara stated firmly, "I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed, you and Xena would have been killed along with all the other Airbenders."

"You don't know that." Aang muttered into his arm as he looked at the cave wall.

"I know it was meant to be this way." Katara insisted, "The world needs you and Xena now. You give people hope."

Aang turned his head, a small smile spreading across his face. Momo chattered, running around the fire over to him and Aang scratched his back gently.

"Help! Oh, please help!" The old woman from earlier yelled, running into the cave.

"It's okay, you're safe." Katara soothed.

"But my husband isn't." The elderly woman said.

"What do you mean? Where's Sokka?" Katara asked concernedly.

"They haven't returned." The old woman said, visibly distraught. "They should've been back by now, and this storm is becoming a typhoon. They're caught out at sea."

"I'm going to find them." Aang stood and started to walk to the cave entrance.

"I'm going with you." Katara said running after him.

"I'm staying here!" The fisherman's wife said stubbornly and sat by the fire.

"We'll be back soon, I promise." Aang told the lady before jumping on Appa.

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"Where are they?" Katara shouted as she and Aang looked at the churning ocean for any sign of the fisherman's boat and their missing friend.

Aang's eyes widened when he saw a large wave coming towards them and flicked the reins, urging Appa to go higher. "Come on, Appa!" Aang shouted encouragingly and Appa roared, flying upward but the wave was already too close and started to collapse on them.

Aang's glared determinedly and continued to fly Appa straight at the wave, grabbing his staff and twirling it around rapidly while using Airbending to create a hole in the wave that Appa was able to fly through.

"The boat!" Aang cried out, pointing to the small vessel being tossed around by the ocean, "There!"

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"I'm too young to die!" Sokka cried, holding onto a rope as the waves roared and thrashed the boat around.

"I'm not, but I still don't wanna." The old man said while holding on to another. Sokka looked up and saw Appa flying close to the boat. They gasped as lightning struck the mast and it began to fall toward them. Suddenly Aang bent up geysers of water cutting the mast in half. "Hang onto the rope!" he shouted before jumping onto Appa's head. He tied the rope to one of Appa's horn and the bison swung them onto his back. Everyone looked up at Aang who was smiling in relief then gasped as a huge wave towered over them. Appa was forced under the water and everyone held onto the sides of the saddle. The reins almost slipped completely from Aang's grip when his tattoos and eyes began to glow as the Avatar State was activated and he grabbed the Appa's reins tightly, moving to float cross-legged above Appa's head. The young Avatar then put his fists together and massive sphere of air just like the one that he had used to save him and Xena before.

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"Oh, you're alive!" the old woman gasped and ran to hug her husband. "You owe this boy an apology!"

"He doesn't have to apologize." Aang said shrugging.

"Uh, what if instead of an apology, I give him a free fish and we'll call it even?" The elderly fisherman asked.

"Actually, I don't eat meat."

"Fish ain't meat." The old man grumbled.

"Seriously, you're still gonna pay us right?" Sokka asked walking up to him with his hand outstretched. The man dropped a fish into his hand and Sokka squealed in disapproval.

"Uh," The old man said, walking up to Aang and Katara, "If you weren't here, well, I guess I wouldn't be either. Thank you for saving my life, Avatar."

"Do you hear that? It's stopped raining." Sokka said from the front of the cave. Sunlight shone through the clouds in large beams that shimmered on the white waves. It was beautiful until Appa shook all the water off him, "Appa!" they cried.

**I decided to leave out "Jet" and "The Great Divide" but they still happened. I'm thinking of doing a what if story and what would have happened if Xena wasn't captures but I'm not entirely sure yet. I also wrote the flashbacks from Xena's PoV if you guys noticed.**

Guest: **Xena did waterbend earlier but she isn't the Avatar, Aang is. Xena is Aang's Guardian and is meant to protect him and she isn't supposed to let Aang know about her bending abilities yet because Aang might try to get her to teach him which she isn't supposed to.**


	12. Ch11: The Blue Spirit

**Book One: Water**

**Chapter Eleven: The Blue Spirit**

"Absolutely not!" Colonel Shinu growled as he glared at Commander Zhao. Down below one of the famed Yu-yan Archers shot three arrows into the bull's eye of a target, splitting the first and second arrows with the third, "The Yu-yan Archers stay here. Your request is _denied_, Commander Zhao."

"Colonel Shinu, please reconsider…their precision is legendary. The Yu-yan can pin a fly to a tree from one hundred yards away…without killing it." Commander Zhao said his tone turned annoyed, "You're wasting their talents using them as mere security guards."

"I can do whatever I want with their talents," Shinu retorted, "They're _my _archers, and what I say goes."

Zhao turned to the face the colonel with a frustrated look on his face. "But my search for the Avatar-"

"Is nothing but a vanity project!" Shinu snapped, cutting Zhao off mid-sentence, "We're fighting a _real _war here, and I need every man I've got, commander."

"But-"

"That's final! I don't want to hear another word about it!" Colonel Shinu stated harshly as he turned away but stopped as a messenger hawk cried out and landed on his arm.

Shinu took the scroll off of the hawk and let it hop onto the ledge. Shinu opened the scroll and read it with a confused expression.

"News from Fire Lord Ozai?" Commander Zhao asked curiously as he walked closer to the colonel, who handed him the note.

A smug smile tugged at the corners of Zhao's face and he looked at the colonel haughtily, "It appears I've been promoted to Admiral. My request is now an _order_."

Colonel Shinu kept his face impassive as he bowed and left the small lookout tower. Admiral Zhao watched the Yu-yan Archers as they continued to practice below; unaware of the figure in a blue mask that had heard the entire conversation perched on the roof above him. The figure pulled away and climbed down without a word.

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The Blue Spirit looked at the heavily armed fort from the bushes carefully then darted under a wagon and clung to the bottom of it tightly as it headed towards the fort. He glanced to the side when the wagon stopped, watching the guards' feet as he walked around the wagon.

"All clear." One guard called out and the Blue Spirit waited as he walked around the wagon, pausing at the back to check inside the wagon briefly before moving to the other side.

Silently, the Blue Spirit slipped out from under the wagon and into the back just as the guard ducked down the check the undercarriage.

"All clear." The guard called out again as he straightened then waved the wagon forward as the gates began to open, "Go on in."

The Blue Spirit looked out from the supply crates inside the wagon, watching as it passed through the three gates that closed right behind it. The Blue Spirit slipped from the wagon, ducking behind the supply crates that had been unloaded in the innermost part of the fort, then raced towards the stairs that would take him into the actual building where he thought the Avatar was being held prisoner.

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Four guards stood outside the prisoner's room. The four took defensive stances when a Fire Nation soldier's helmet suddenly came bouncing down the hall. The guards looked at it then at each other, before the guard farthest to the left walked down the hall and turned the corner, disappearing from view. A burst of fire appeared suddenly followed by the sounds of a brief scuffle before going silent again. The remaining three guards looked at each other warily before two of them walked cautiously down the hall after the first, their arms raised in a defensive bending stance.

The two guards come to a stop and stare in shocked confusion at the first guard tied up and hanging from the ceiling. The two guards barely had time to process before the one in the front was suddenly yanked into the air by his feet that had been wrapped in a chain while the other guard was knocked unconscious when the Blue Spirit had dropped from the ceiling on top of him.

The fourth and last guard stood tensely by the door and reached for the horn hanging on the wall at the sound of a muffled shout, only to blink in shock when a dagger knocked it out of his hand. The guard quickly shifted into a bending stance as the Blue Spirit raced down the hall towards him. The guard set a blast of fire from his fist, but the Blue Spirit doused the flames with a bucket of water he had in his hands. The Blue Spirit then swung the bucket, knocking the guard's legs out from under him and sending him crashing face-first into the metal floor.

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The Blue Spirit jogs into the room and stops. The prisoner is not who he thought it was. She's on her knees, hands and ankles chained to the floor. Her head is bowed in unconsciousness. He glances at the door torn between leaving and helping the injured girl. Finally he sighs and walks closer to the girl, his decision made. He crouches down in front of her and touches one of her hands. She doesn't move. He takes a deep breath and has to hold back a cough. He hadn't noticed how dry the air was. Obviously they thought she was a water or firebender. He placed the cool blade of his Dao sword against her cheek. She groaned softly and lifted her head. He blinked and shifted back in shock. Her eyes were a rich chocolate brown with flecks of white silver and the tattoos were a dim outline of leaping wolves.

"You're here to rescue me," she said, unflinching from his mask. I answer he cuts the chains that hold her trapped to the floor. She watches him warily and he takes her hesitation as meaning she needs help to stand. He holds out a glove clad hand but the girl ignores it as she stands quickly. Her clothes are in surprisingly good shape. The Blue Spirit motions for her to follow him. She stays behind him for most of the way but suddenly slips past him, taking the lead. He follows her in irritation.

She slips into a room seemingly at random and he bites back a yell of frustration that she hadn't even checked to see if the room was clear. He steps in after her and comes to a complete stop. Weapons cover all of the walls, the majority being bows. She pulls down a pair of swords from a corner of the wall and quickly straps them in place on her back. He doesn't understand why she puts the hilts down at her waist instead of over her shoulders. Suddenly she tenses and hustle him behind the door. He starts to let out a huff of annoyance but stops when he realized that she had saved both of their lives. two guards step into the room, discussing something in hushed voices. He pulls her from the room and once again takes the lead.

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The Blue Spirit led the way as they walked silently through the sewers under the fort. The Blue Spirit paused and pulled himself up slightly so that he could look around an open area then he dropped back down and faced the girl. The masked spirit pointed up at the grate then he hopped out, followed quickly by the girl.

The two ran towards the wall where a rope was hanging from the top of the innermost wall of the fort, courtesy of the Blue Spirit. They only climbed a few feet up the rope when the alarm suddenly sounded.

"There!" One of the guards below pointed towards them, "On the wall!" A guard on top of the wall cut the rope. The girl ducked her head, twisted her body and rolled forward out of the fall. He on the other hand plummeted straight into a conveniently placed bush. Who the hell would leave foliage in a fort.?

"The prisoner has escaped!" Zhao shouted as he leaned over the balcony, "Close all the gates immediately!" The gate began to close and soldiers armed with spears rushed to block it. The girl whipped her swords out and he blinks in shock. The swords were something he had only seen once before. They were slightly thicker than the average dual swords and were hollow on the inside because they were filled with water. The swords were called Horō-ken*. Her tattoos made sense now. She was a Ōkami no senshi**, a wolf warrior. They belonged to the Southern Water tribes and were sword masters like no other.

"You comin'?" she asked glancing back at him. He nodded his head and pulled his own swords free.

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-Xena PoV-

I run forward, my swords at the ready. A guard shoots a fireball at me and with a quick twist of my swords I slip into a water style set. The water set is about flow, push and pull, offense and defense. When an enemy strikes you roll with it and use it against him to better yourself. I absorb the impact on my blades and twist sharply to slap the firebenders exposed forearm. I wade through the soldiers quickly and by moving quickly we make it past the first gate and keep heading toward the second. My back touches someone else's and I whip around. There's a clash of steel as my left hand sword encounters the Blue Spirits right hand sword.

"Sorry," I whisper and spin back around so my back is barely touching his. This is weird. We're in complete sync with each other, reading the others movement before they make it so that our backs are always to each other.

"I want the girl alive," Zhao shouts down at his men. I'm about to show what I think of that when the blades of the Blue Spirit cross under my throat pulling me flush against his chest. I yelp in shock. Zhao yells at them to open the gates and the Blue Spirit pulls me backwards through the last gate. My hands heat up in anger as our retreat sends shooting pain up my legs. A glint of silver catches my eye. Arrow. I catch his swords with my right sword and push them away from my throat so I have more room to maneuver. The hilts of my swords slide against each other as I trigger the bases to open. Steam drifts out of my sword and I also bend water in the air to steam as my left hand sword flicks up to cut the arrow from the sky. Pain blooms in my shoulder as I miss the arrow. The Blue Spirit catches me as I fall. Blackness tints the edges of my vision.

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The girl cries out in pain as the arrow embeds itself in her left shoulder. Her swords clatter to the ground. The blue Spirit catches her and gentle lowers her to the ground so he can sheathe their swords. With that done he picks her up bridal style and runs through the trees.

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"Where have you been, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, "You missed music night! Lieutenant Jee san-." Iroh gasps in shock seeing the limp girl in Zuko's arms. An arrow sticks out of her shoulder and the old man climbs to his feet with surprising agility. "To your room quickly."

Zuko nods and quickly walks to his room ignoring his soldiers who gawk openly. He sets her on his bed and she moans softly. Iroh comes hurrying in, carrying a bowl of water, rags, and bandages. He sets them down next to the bed and then gestures for Zuko to crouch next to him.

"Prince Zuko, I'm going to snap the arrowhead off and push the arrow through. I'll need you to pull it out the rest of the way," Iroh says seriously. Zuko nods his head in understanding and shifts so he can do what his uncle asks. The girl lets out a faint cry of pain as the arrow is removed and moans a couple of times as Iroh cleaned and bandaged the wound. When Iroh is done he takes the blood coated arrow from his nephew and inspects it. "This belongs to a Yu-Yan archer," he says in surprise, "where did you find her Zuko?"

"In the forest," Zuko says and proceeds to tell his uncle how he had been out for a walk when he had heard rustling in the bushes. When he went to check it out he found the girl unconscious on the ground and recognized her as one of the Avatar's traveling companions.

"It's a good thing you found her when you did, Prince Zuko. If not I have no doubt she would already be dead.

***This isn't a correct translation: ken= sword, horō=hollow**

**** Wolf warrior**

**Yeah, two chapters in one day; although, this chapter is shorter than most of them.**


	13. Ch12: The Fortune Teller

**Chapter Twelve: The Fortune Teller**

_"Bend your knees, Xena," my father shouts._

_"I am," I reply. In response he bends the water into a large wave that slams me to the ice. I cough up water and glare at him._

_"Jaque give her a break," my mother says from the sidelines bouncing my baby brother, "she's only eight."_

_"Yeah, and she only has six more months to become a master waterbender," my father says angrily before pulling me up. I let out a faint whimper as he forces me into a stance. He takes a stance next to me and shows me how to do the move. I bend up a large wave of water and send it forward before I lose control of it. My father grumbles something at me and finishes the lesson before sending me to wait with Mom._

_I take Gidon from my mother and bounce him slightly. He gurgles and waves his arms in the air and to my delight the snow moves to his bending._

_"Mama," I cry and she laughs when she sees him bending. Papa glances up and quickly tells his students to continue to continue practicing before coming over to us. He takes Gidon from my arms and laughs quietly at him. I step back and duck my head._

He loves Gidon more; _I realize and step back quietly. My little brother is a normal child with tan skin and blue eyes that I will never have. I will always be the freak of the family._

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_"Move your feet," me instructor yells as I messily block Guiven's strike._

_"Come on, Xena. You can do it," my best friend, Korra, cheers from the sidelines. I breathe out a heavy burst of air and run forward swinging my swords into a figure eight. Guiven raises his words to block and I hide my smile as he takes the faint. I flip my swords to my forearms and drop to the ground sliding between his legs. The hilts of my swords thud into his ankles and he cries out in surprise as my momentum and his stance bringing him crashing down. I quickly rise into a defensive position._

_"Guiven is face down in the snow with his butt sticking in the air. Korra roars with laughter._

_"Watch out," someone shouts and I whip around as I sense a strong heat wave behind me. I gape soundlessly at the Polar Bear towering over me. I drop my swords and raise my arms to protect my face as it bellows and swings down at me. I scream in pain as his claws dig into my fore arms and across my collarbone. I hit the ground hard and curl up into a ball. A strong pair of arms lifts me up and I hear the cries of Korra and my mother._

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I sit up fast and pain flares up my arm. I grip my shoulder and bite back a cry of pain. After the pain fades some, I look around the room trying to figure out where I am. The style of the room is Fire Nation, leaving the question of whose ship it is. I swing my legs over the side carefully as to not hurt my shoulder. I hiss sharply as pain rolls up my leg. I roll up my pant leg and swallow. A large red burn spans from my knee down to my ankle. It's not bad enough to be a horrible scar but it sure hurts like hell. I unroll my pant leg quickly when I sense someone on the other side of the door. The door opens quietly and Zuko stops in the doorway.

"You're awake," he says finally shutting the door.

"Mostly," I answer back.

"What happened to you?" he asks, stopping in front of me.

"Why do you care?" I ask warily.

"I don't," he snaps, "I'm just curious as to why you were in the forest with an arrow in your shoulder."

"Let me rephrase the question. Why should I tell you?" I growl standing up.

"You're my prisoner," he says stepping closer.

"So," I respond. He meets my glare and I see a flash of confusion cross his face. He's confused by my eyes. With that realization, I notice how close we are. I take a step back and twist my head away with a blush.

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"Look!" Katara exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the lake when a large fish jumped and landed in the water with a splash.

Sokka sat up and watched as the fish leapt into the air again and faced the group in mid-air then landed back in the water with another splash. "Oh, he is taunting us!" Sokka grumbled as he jumped up and pointed at the fish as it jumped out of the water again, "You are so gonna be dinner!"

He ran to the fishing pole leaning against a log beside their tent and grabbed it, rushing back over to the shore and tried to cast the line. Sokka brought the fishing pole closer to his face to inspect it, "Hey, where's the fishing line?"

"Oh…I didn't think you would need it, Sokka." Aang said sheepishly from behind the older boy as he held up the intricately woven necklace with a red flower pendent in the middle that he had made out of the fishing line.

Sokka walked over and examined the necklace, and then face palmed and gestured to the necklace as he whined. "Aw, it's all tangled!"

"Not tangled. Woven!" Aang protested and got to his feet with Airbending and faced Katara, "I made you a necklace. I thought since you lost your other one…" He trailed off and held the necklace up, flashing a goofy grin at the dark-haired waterbender.

Katara smiled and took the necklace as he handed it to her, "Thanks, Aang. I love it."

"Great, Aang." Sokka commented sarcastically and rolled his eyes, "Maybe instead of saving the world, you can go into the jewelry-making business."

"I don't see why I can't do both." Aang said with a shrug and a grin.

Sokka scowled and turned back to the lake just as the fish jumped out of the water again. The Water Tribe boy growled and hurled his useless fishing pole into the water in a failed attempt to spear the fish.

"Stop taunting me!" Sokka shouted angrily as the fish jumped out of the water completely unharmed and Sokka charged into the lake after unsheathing his whalebone dagger, stabbing at the water.

"So, how do I look?" Aang turned around to face Katara, his bored expression transforming into one of awe. A blush appeared on the young bald monk's face as he looked at Katara who was smiling sweetly at him, blushing slightly with one hand behind her back while the other was touching the necklace. Aang tugged nervously at his collar and smiled nervously.

"You mean, all of your or just your neck?" He asked nervously then rubbed the back of his in embarrassment, "I mean, because both look great!"

Sokka emerged from the water with the fish in his arms and he looked over at his sister and friend with a slight smirk.

"Smoochie, smoochie, someone's in love!" He sang and made kissing noises until the fish broke free from his grasp and slapped him in the face with its tail then dove back into the lake.

"I…well, uh…" A blush appeared on Aang's face and he stuttered in embarrassment as Momo jumped onto his shoulder.

"Stop teasing him, Sokka. Aang's just a good friend." Katara snapped annoyed as she glowered at her brother and walked over to stand beside Aang with a smile and patted his head, "A sweet, little guy! Just like Momo."

"Thanks…" Aang muttered in utter dismay as he looked at the ground while Sokka walked out of the lake soaking wet and irritated.

Momo flew off Aang's shoulder when a loud growling roar came from a short distance away. The lemur landed on a rock with Aang landed beside him a moment later, his gray eyes going wide.

"Someone's being attacked by a platypus bear!" He said urgently as he pointed at towards the man and bear.

The platypus bear roared and rose up on its hind legs, swinging its huge paws at a man clad in blue robes. The man dodged to the side, smiling merrily as if nothing was wrong as he dodged another swipe of the platypus bear's claws.

"Well, hello there!" The man called out when he saw Aang land on a rock right behind the angry platypus bear and dodged another claw swipe, "Nice day, isn't it?"

"Make noise!" Aang shouted in reply, cupping his hand around his mouth, "He'll run off!"

"No!" Sokka shouted as he and Katara stopped by Aang, "Play dead! He'll lose interest!"

The platypus bear swung again and the man ducked, the sharp claws passing through the air where the man's head had been a moment ago.

"Whoa, close one!" The man said with a happy laugh as he continued to sidestep the angry animal's attacks.

Katara cupped one hand around her mouth and gestured with the other as she shouted, "Run downhill then climb a tree!"

"No, punch him in the bill!" Sokka suggested instead, punching his fist for emphasis.

"And then run in zig zags!" Aang added helpfully.

"No need," the man called out cheerily as he backed away, "It's going to be fine."

The platypus bear roared and swung both his paws, but the man simple dancing around until he was sitting cross-legged on the ground and the claws passed harmless over his head and cut deeply into the tree behind him instead.

Aang suddenly remember Gyatso telling him how Xena had been attacked by a polar bear. He jumped into the air angrily and flipped over the enraged creature, sending up a wave of air as he landed in front of it with his hands raised defensively.

"Whoa there!" He shouted, hands held up in preparation to attack.

The platypus bear reared up further onto its hind legs and roared loudly at Aang when Appa suddenly appeared behind the smaller creature and bellowed, which caused the platypus bear's fur to bristle with fear and lay a large spotted egg before escaping into the water and swimming down river.

"Mm, lunch!" Sokka exclaimed as he picked up the egg and sniffed it then turned to the man still sitting on the ground, "Lucky for you, we came along."

"Thanks, but everything was already under control. Not to worry." The man stated as he rose to his feet a, "Aunt Wu predicted I'd have a safe journey."

"Aunt who?" Aang asked in confusion, quirking an eyebrow at the strange man.

"No, Aunt _Wu_." The man clarified then explained, "She's the fortuneteller from my village. Awful nice knowing your future."

"Wow, it must be." Katara mused thoughtful as she looked off to the side then back to the man with a bright expression, "That explains why you were so calm!"

"But the fortuneteller was wrong!" Sokka protested loudly in exasperation, "You didn't have a safe journey, you were almost killed!"

"But I wasn't!" The man said cheerfully as he began to walk away, "Alright, have a good one!"

They watched him walk a few steps then turn back around as if just remembering something.

"Oh, and Aunt Wu said if I met any travelers to give them this." He stated and pulled a long, wrapped parcel from his back, handed it to Aang then continued on his way. Sokka eyed the man suspiciously, still clutching the egg in his arms.

"Maybe we should go see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes." Katara suggested excitedly, "It could be fun."

"Oh, come on." Sokka groaned in exasperation while Aang began to unwrap the parcel, "Fortune telling is nonsense!"

Aang blinked in surprise when an umbrella was revealed then opened the umbrella. "What do you know? An umbrella." He said with a small smile as he lifted it above his head just as the sky darkened, low rumble of thunder filling the air as it began pouring rain.

Katara quickly waterbended a shield over her head to keep herself from getting wet as she hurried over to huddle under the umbrella with Aang.

"That proves it!" she stated happily with a smug look at Sokka who was using the egg in an attempt to shield himself from the rain.

"No, it doesn't!" He protested vehemently, "You can't _really _tell the future!"

"I guess you're not _really _getting wet then." His sister retorted smugly.

He suddenly lost his grip on the egg and Sokka tried to catch it as it flew a few inches into the air but he missed it and it landed on his head with splat. A scowl formed on his face as he glared at the space in front of him, yellow yolk running down his face.

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-Zuko PoV-

Zuko doesn't notice how close he is till she steps back and turns her head away. He steps back as well. He shakes his head to calm down. He needs to go back on deck for his lessons but doesn't trust leaving the peasant alone in his rooms. "Come on," he growls and grabs her good arm to lead her from his room. She yelps in pain and jerks out of his grasp. She glares at him reproachfully but he ignores her and continues to the deck. Iroh is playing a game of Pai Sho against the cook. He looks up and smiles at the peasant behind me. He can feel her glaring holes into his back. A couple of the soldiers shift backwards slightly which is weird considering he's usually the most intimidating person on deck.

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"Of course she predicted it was going to rain." Sokka grumbled slogging through the rain, "The sky's been gray all day!"

"Just admit you might be wrong and you can come under the umbrella." Katara stated with a smile.

"Look, I'm going to predict the future now." Sokka said sarcastically, then hopped from foot-to-foot and waving his hands in the air, "It's going to keep drizzling."

The rain continued to fall steadily until Sokka said, "See?" The rain stopped. Aang tilted the umbrella up so he and Katara could see the clear sky.

"Not everyone has the gift, Sokka." Aang tease, "If it makes you feel better, didn't believe in fortune telling until hers came true." Sokka stopped walking and watched his sister and the bald monk walk away. Appa shook himself off next to Sokka, giving Sokka an unwanted bath. Sokka groaned loudly.

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-Xena PoV-

I glare at Zuko's back and only stop when Iroh speaks. "I'm glad to see your awake, my dear." I nod and shift forward slightly. "How's your shoulder?"

"It's fine thank you," I say and glance down at the game.

"Do you play?" he asks kindly.

I'm about to respond when Zuko speaks, "Uncle, you're supposed to be teaching me not to entertaining peasants."

"Said peasant has a name," I snap, glaring again.

Iroh chuckles quietly, "I don't see why I can't do both."

He huffed angrily and stomps to the training area. Iroh quickly finishes his game and gestures to me to take the other man's place. I sit down opposite him and set up the board while Iroh begins Zuko's lesson. I take a while to study Iroh's style and deem him an excellent player but his distraction with Zuko's training gives me a little bit of an edge. Eventually Iroh gets distracted from Zuko's training with a move I made on the board, undeniable confused by my style.

"Your foot's too far to the left," I tell Zuko never once turning around. Iroh looks up at the sound of my voice just in time to see Zuko's stance before he's knocked to the deck. "Told you."

"You aren't even watching," he snaps.

"Actually Prince Zuko she's right your foot was too far to the left," Iroh says, finally moving a piece on the board with a triumphant smirk until I move a piece to win the game. His mouth practically falls open and he doesn't see the hand motion Zuko gives me behind my back.

"Go ahead flip me off, it doesn't change that I was right." He's body temperature skyrockets in bewilderment and anger.

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Katara and Aang walk side by side with Sokka trailing dejectedly behind. "Aunt Wu is expecting you," a man dressed in black says as the trio walk towards him.

"Really?!" Katara asks excitedly while Sokka scoffed. They step into the building, respectfully taking off their shoes. A young girl in a pink robe and two frizzy pigtails entered the room.

"My name is Men and I'm Aunt Wu's assistant," her eyes widened slightly when she saw Aang. "Well, hello there," Men said with a pleased smile.

Aang rubbed his nose bored, "Hello."

She gestured to the pillows on one side of the room and asked Aang politely, "Can I get you some tea or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs."

"I'll try a curd puff, "Sokka said cheerfully but Men held a finger up, her eyes remaining on Aang.

"Just a second," she said then crouched down to Aang's level, "So what's your name?"

"Aang."

"That rhymes with Men," she beamed and giggled, "and you've got some pretty big ears, don't you?"

"Err, I guess? He said awkwardly.

"Don't be modest. They're huge," Sokka said and spread his arms to emphasize his point.

Aang glare at Sokka and covered his ears. Men backed away and said, "Well, Aang it's very nice to meet you, very _nice_

"Likewise," Aang called to her oblivious to her poor attempts at flirting.

"I can't believe we're in this house of nonsense," Sokka complained.

"Try to keep an open mind, Sokka," Katara said her tone becoming excited; "there are things in this world that just can't be explained. Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight to your future?"

"It would be nice to have some bean curd puffs," Sokka stated.

Men walked back towards the front room with a tray of bean curd puffs in her hands when a woman in green robes stepped out of a door in the hallway and hurried over to the younger girl.

"Oh Men!" The woman exclaimed excitedly as she stood with her hands clasped to her chest, "Aunt Wu says I'm going to meet my true love. He's going to give me a rare panda lily!"

"That's so romantic!" Men gushed dreamily and cast a longing look over her shoulder at Aang, "I wonder if my true love will give _me _a rare flower."

"Good luck with that." Aang called out breezily with a grin.

The woman giggled and looked at Aang briefly then back at Men, "Is that the big-eared guy who Aunt Wu predicted you'd marry?"

Men blushes bright red and continued on her way into the front room with the tray of bean curd puffs and tea. She kept her eyes on Aang, who was staring blankly into space. She suddenly tripped forward. Aang quickly reached out and caught her hands underneath the tray in an attempt to help and the two looked at each other for a moment and Men blushed again. "Enjoy your snack!" She squeaked nervously and hurriedly backed away.

Sokka snatched the tray of bean curd puffs from Aang and was about to shove one in his mouth when a middle-aged woman in yellow robes entered the room.

"Welcome, young travelers." Aunt Wu greeted them with a small smile, "Now, who's next? Don't be shy."

Sokka looked away uninterested and Aang looked away from him towards Katara.

"I guess that's me." The dark-haired waterbender said with anticipation as she got to her feet and followed Aunt Wu into the back room, leaving Aang and Sokka sitting on the floor in the front room.

Sokka grabbed one of the bean curd puffs and shoved it in his mouth, his expression becoming happy. "Mm, not bad, not bad!" He stated through a mouthful of curd puffs then held the bowl out to Aang, "Mhm?"

"I'm good on puffs." Aang said as he gently pushed the bowl away and Sokka shrugged, continuing to shovel the curd puffs into his mouth while Aang tried to act casually, "So… What do you think they're talking about back there?"

"Boring stuff I'm sure." Sokka stated casually as he held up one of the teacups, "Love, who's she gonna marry, how many babies she's gonna have."

"Yeah…Dumb stuff like that…" Aang agreed tensely then began to bite his nails before jumping to his feet, "Well, I've got to find a bathroom!"

He rushed out of the front room and Sokka stretched out across the now vacated pillows, keeping himself propped up on his elbow with his head on his hand and continuing to eat the curd puffs all the while. While he's eating, Momo sneakily snatched the bowl and rushed away to hide with it. Unaware that the bowl was stolen, Sokka reached to grab another puff then snapped his eyes open wide and groaned when he realized the bowl was gone.

lxxxXXXxxxl

I'm glad that Zuko and Iroh don't know I'm a waterbender because if they had I wouldn't have gotten this bath. I sink into the lukewarm water and rub at my forearm thoughtfully. I stop when steely gray paint comes off my arms. My tattoos aren't really tattoos. They're painted on and covered with a waterproofing substance that I have to apply every few days. I let out a disgruntled growl and harshly rub them off my face and arms. I quickly finish bathing and get dressed in the red tunic and black pants that Iroh found for me. I begin to rewrap the white cloth around my forearms making sure the scars and my bracelet is hidden from sight. The mirror has to be wiped down before I can see my reflection. Four short segments of my scars can be seen on my collarbone because the shirt is lower than my last one. Without my tattoos my face looks childish except for the silver crescent moon that makes me look eerie and spiritely (_according to Aang_). I bow my head, close my eyes, and touch the mark with two fingers, _be safe Aang._ Sighing softly I drop my hand and grab my towel to dry my hair more.

lxxxXXXxxxl

_Be safe, Aang._ Aang tilts his head when Xena speaks to him through the connection and silently promises her he will. Aang glanced down the hallway then quietly tiptoed to the door Aunt Wu had lead Katara too, crouching down so he could press his ear to the door.

"You're palms are so smooth." Aunt Wu's voice filtered through the door, "Do you use moisturizer?"

"Actually, I have this special seaweed lotion. I can get you some if you want." Katara's voice sounded and Aang made a face, sticking his tongue out in boredom then froze when Katara started talking again. "So, do you see anything in my love line? "Aang perked up instantly and pressed his ear closer to the door.

"I feel a great romance for you." Aunt Wu predicted dramatically, "The man you are going to marry…"

"Tell me more!" Aang heard Katara exclaim excitedly.

"I can see that he is a very powerful bender." Aang grinned mischievously when he heard Aunt Wu say this and he jumped into the air in delight as he gently lowered himself back to the ground and hurried back to the front room, where Sokka was picking his teeth.

"Looks like someone had a pretty good bathroom break." Sokka stated as he watched Aang strut into the room with a ginormous goofy grin on his face.

"Yeah…" Aang said quickly in an attempt to explain as he gestured over his shoulder with his thumb, "When I was in there-"

Sokka looked away in disgust and held his hand up to stop Aang from finishing, "I don't even want to know!"

"Who's next?" Aunt Wu asked as she reentered the room with Katara and Sokka got to his feet with an exasperated sigh.

"Okay, let's get this over with."

"Your future is full of struggle and anguish." Aunt Wu stated in a monotone, "Most of it self-inflicted."

"But you didn't even read my palms or anything!" Sokka protested, holding up his hands in confusion.

I don't need to. It's written all over your face." The fortune teller said and Sokka resumed picking his teeth in disgust while Aunt Wu gestured to Aang, "You there, come with me."

Aang followed Aunt Wu out of the reception area and into a large, dimly lit room that had four support pillars. In the center four cushions were situated around a small fire and off to the side sat a jug of bones.

"This is the most reliable method of telling your fortune. The bones never lie." Aunt Wu stated as she and Aang approached the jug, and then gestured for Aang to take one, "Go on, pick two."

Aang grabbed two random bones and the two sat down on the pillows.

"Now throw them on the fire." Aunt Wu instructed and Aang did as she said, "The heat makes cracks in the bone and I read the bone cracks to tell your destiny."

A large crack suddenly splintered down the side of the largest bone, causing Aunt Wu and Aang to look at in surprise.

"Wow, that's a big crack." Aang commented, watching as more cracks began to appear on the bone. The smaller bone started to crack as well but slower and with a more artistic flare creating a spidery effect to the bone.

"I've never seen this before!" Aunt Wu stated in shock as the bones continued to crack even more until the big one exploded, sending a burst of flames up to the ceiling before completely going out leaving the spidery one alone.

"Oh my!" Aunt Wu gasped as she and Aang looked at the shattered bone pieces lying in the fire, "There's two destinies' here! This is incredible. The strongest one says you will be involved in a great battle, an awesome conflict between the forces of good and evil. A battle whose outcome will determine the fate of the world!"

"Yeah, yeah, I knew that already!" Aang groaned in exasperation then leaned forward to look at the fortuneteller eager, "But did it say anything about a girl?"

"A girl?" Aunt Wu asked in surprise, "You want to know about _love_?"

"Yes!"

"I'm sorry," The woman apologized, "But I didn't see anything." Aang looked down at his lap in disappointment, causing Aunt Wu's face to soften with compassion. "Well, look!" She exclaimed suddenly, holding her hand to her face in forgetfulness, "I must have missed something." Aang watched as she picked up a particularly large and sharp bone fragment from the floor. "Right here." She stated as she began to examine the fragment, "It says 'trust your heart and you will be with the one you love.'"

"Really?" Aang asked excitedly, "Thank you, Aunt Wu."

He made to run out of the room then paused and turned back.

"Can I ask one more thing?"

"Of course."

"You said there were two destinies and I was wondering what the other was."

She looked at his face thoughtfully before nodding, "which hand do you write with?"

"Ugh, my right, "he scratches his head in confusion.

"Then let me see you left hand," she said, holding out her own. He put his hand between hers. She carefully traced the lines on his palm before sighing softly. "This is strange. The destiny is not yours yet it is linked into your chi."

"Umm, well I kind of share some of my chi with someone," he said awkwardly.

"That may explain it," Aunt Wu slides her hands into her sleeves, "This person is destined to protect you but she first must decide between duty and love. Her choice will affect whether she lives... or dies."

Aang lowered his head. Xena had already chosen duty over love for him when she had ran away with him. "I understand. Thank you, Aunt Wu," he said solemnly. Aunt Wu hand him the smaller bone before he leaves the room. The old woman watched him leave with sad eyes.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"I'm not sharing my room with her," Zuko shouts at Iroh.

"I don't think it is safe or appropriate for her to sleep in the barracks with the men," Iroh says calmly. I stand in the doorway of his room. Neither has yet realized I'm there until I clear my throat causing both of them to jump.

"Do I get a say in this?"

"No," Zuko snaps turning to face me. He starts to say more but stops in shock.

"And why not?" I ask raising my head stubbornly, refusing to look away.

My words snap Zuko out of his shock. "Because peasant this is my ship and you are a prisoner."

"Again with the peasant," I growl stepping forward," my name is Xena."

Zuko opens his mouth with a retort but Iroh cuts him off, "you look quite lovely this evening Miss Xena and I must say that the color suits you."

"Ugh, thanks," I say uncertainly and absently place my hand over the visible part of my scar.

"Now let's eat," Iroh says cheerfully. Zuko glares at me and kneels next to his uncle. I kneel on Iroh's other side and allow my hair to cover my face. "Would you like some Jasmine tea, Xena?" Iroh asks holding up the teapot.

"No, thank you," I say raising my head slightly.

"You don't like tea?" Iroh pouted.

"No. No, that's not what I meant. I -ugh -I'm allergic to jasmine," I say blushing slightly.

"Oh," Iroh says. The rest of the meal passes in silence and I find myself rubbing the bracelet through the white cloth. The candles flickers unsteadily and I subconsciously settle it with my mind.

Zuko stands up after the awkward meal is over. "Come on," he snaps at me. I sigh and stand up.

"Goodnight, Prince Zuko. Goodnight, Xena," Iroh says.

"Goodnight, Iroh," I say politely and follow Zuko from the room. Zuko refuses to speak or even look at me until we're in his room. "You look different without your tattoos." I shrug and lay on the bed, my back to him.

lxxxXXXxxxl

-Zuko PoV-

He sits in front of his meditation candles and shakes his head. That was a stupid comment. He stares at his mother's picture for a few minutes.

"Thank you," her whisper is so quiet that he is not sure it existed at all. Not for the first or for the last time he wonders why he saved her. Whatever the reason he knew he would regret because she was like his sister, a prodigy. She probably never had to want for anything in her life. The girl sobs softly from his bed but once again he's not sure he heard it to begin with.

lxxxXXXxxxl

-Xena PoV-

_Drake smiled when Gyatso landed his sky bison. I smiled back and slid off the bison. Drake pulled me in for a hug and kissed me softly. Korra and the twins ooh in the background and I blush and step back. Drake keeps a tight hold of my hand. Aang jumped off Appa and ran over to join Kuzon._

_"Alright you two have fun," Gyatso said before walking into the mansion. Aang and Kuzon whooped and ran towards the festival in town. I tense visibly and Drake pulls me closer. I sigh softly and walk at a normal pace with my friends. Tami gives me a sad look smile. Tamsin and Korra chatter nonstop about the festival while Rivon and Tami walk together talking in hushed voices._

_"Relax," Drake tell me. I nod my head dumbly. As we get closer to the festival I realize how hot it is. The shifting of heat waves starts to blind me and I tone down my heat vision. The first thing Rivon buys at the festival is a large bag of fire flakes that he shares with Drake and me because the others are babies. Korra finally managed to pull me away from my boyfriend and leads me to a colorful tent marked with a fortune teller sign. I have a bad feeling about the tent but don't say anything. I should've._

_The fortune teller told us our futures separately I stomp out of the tent after hearing mine, leaving Korra to pay the fortune teller. I close my eyes and take deep steadying breaths, her words still ringing in my ears. _You will leave the one you love for another. You will choose Onus* over Love.

_"What was that about?" Korra asked joining me._

_"Nothing," I say and weave my way through the crowd. The rest of the festival is amazing and exciting washing away my doubts until we head back to the mansion. I could never imagine leaving Drake behind. When we get to the mansion Drake pulls me aside into the garden. We sit on the stone bench next to the pond and baby turtleducks waddle up to us. I pick one up and begin stroking its fluffy head and waxy shell._

_"Xena, I want to ask you something," Drake says sitting next to me._

_"Sure, anything?"_

_"Umm...Well...It's," he stutters and takes a deep breath, "willyoumarryme?"_

_"What," I ask in confusion._

_"Will you marry me?" he repeats slower._

_"Aren't we kinda young to be thinking about marriage?"_

_"I guess. But Xena I really like you and I want to be with you," he says taking my hand._

_"Yes, Lee Jong," I use his full name, "I will marry you." He beams and slides a bracelet around my wrist. I gasp. The bracelet is a circuit of silver with two gold dragons wound around it. One of the dragons has red eyes and the other has blue. A steel pendent was held between the open mouths with the Water Tribe symbol stamped on it and painted with ocean blue._

_"It's beautiful!" I say and throw my arms around his neck. The turtleduck quacks indignantly. I laugh and walk over to the pond. I carefully lower it into the water and it nudges my hand before paddling away._

_"You know turtleducks are believed to be able to see the goodness of character in a person," drake says from the bench._

lxxxXXXxxxl

I wake up with a gasp of shock. The memory fresh in my mind I slip past Zuko's still form on the floor as I head up on deck. I lean against the railing and look into the ocean. None of this was supposed to be this way. I was supposed to protect Aang and marry Drake, but here I am doing my duty with no chance of ever marrying my fiancé. Tears slid silently down my face.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asks behind me.

"Nothing," I say and wiping my face.

"You're crying," he says stepping up beside me.

"Yeah, so?" He leans against the railing watching me. I use my hair as a shield and close my eyes in a desperate attempt to ignore him.

**Onus- a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden**

**I feel like Zuko is a little OOC**


	14. Ch13: Bato of the Water Tribe

**Chapter Thirteen: Bato of the Water Tribe**

Aang looked curiously at the sword made out of a whale bone that was sticking upright in the ground. Aang grasped the hilt and pulled the weapon out of the ground, turning around to face Sokka. "Hey, look!" Aang called out to him, "A sword made out of a whale's bone."

"Let me see that." Sokka demanded snatching the curved sword, "This is a Water Tribe weapon. See if you can find anything else." The two boys began rummaging through the foliage in search of more weapons as Katara walked toward.

"Did someone lose something?" She questioned, looking at them interestedly.

"No, we found something!" Aang replied as he continued to search the bushes.

Sokka kneeled on the ground and brushed some fallen leaves away, revealing a bone spearhead lying on the ground. Sokka picked up the spearhead and ran his fingers along the slightly blackened point.

"It's burned…" He muttered as he got to his feet and examined a tree that had slash and burn marks on it, "There was a battle! Water Tribe warriors ambushed a group of Firebenders!"

Sokka turned away from the tree, searching for more clues, "The Firebenders fought back but the warriors drove them down this hill." Sokka raced down the hill with Aang and Katara following after him. The older boy leapt over a few rocks and continued running forward until he reached a sandy beach with Aang and Katara appearing right behind him.

"So, then what happened?" Aang asked as he looked curiously at Sokka's back.

"I don't know." Sokka replied in disappointment, "The trail ends here."

"Wait, look!" Katara exclaimed.

"It's one of our boats!" Sokka said excitedly when he saw the half-obscured Water Tribe ship sitting idly on the shore behind a few large rocks and the three of them raced towards the boat quickly.

"Is this dad's boat?" Katara asked Sokka as she looked at the boat with a small hopeful smile.

"No, but it's from his fleet." Sokka replied and stroked the hull with a smile then turned to Katara as Aang walked up behind them, "Dad was here." The siblings exchanged excitedly looks as they both turned back to the boat. Aang looked at the ship and thought of how Xena's face would light up on seeing this.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Iroh sighed happily after he took a sip of his favorite tea. "Aahh!" He exhaled softly as he placed his cup on the table, "See Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for mental well-being." Iroh picked up the teapot and poured him a cup of tea. I sip my own tea thoughtfully and set my cup down. Zuko lifted the small cup to take a sip but the ship suddenly jerked violently, causing the tea to slosh out of the cup and all over Zuko's.

I smile faintly. Zuko growled in frustration and leapt to his feet, stomping out of the room and up to the main deck with Iroh and me close behind him.

Several Firebenders were poised for attack just as a large shirshu with a young, dark-haired woman mounted on its back leapt onto the deck.

"Look out! Argh!" One of the Firebenders shouted as they fled from the beast.

"Get back!" the woman barked at the crew as she directed the creature, "We're after a stowaway."

Zuko stepped forward with a glare, "There are no stowaways on my ship."

The shirshu tore a chunk out of the metal deck flooring then hurled it away. I leaned back to the right slightly while Iroh dodged to the side just in time for the metal piece to fly past my face and over his head. Zuko watched as the shirshu shoved its head inside the hole in the deck, sniffing loudly. She lifted its head from the hole and snarled as a strange man wearing rags climbed out of the hole and ran away. The shirshu struck the stowaway twice in the neck with an elongated tongue.

"He's paralyzed." Zuko muttered in shock.

"No shit." I stated sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Only temporarily." The woman said as she hauled the paralyzed man up onto her shoulder easily, "The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money." The woman walked over to her shirshu and tossed the man on the back of the saddle then prepared to remount.

"But how did you find him on my ship?" Zuko demanded.

"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away." The woman stated smugly.

"Well, I'm impressed." Iroh stated as the woman crack her whip and the shirshu jumped off the ship. I give Iroh a confused look. "_Very _impressed." Iroh said with a smirk as he stroked his beard thoughtfully and Zuko gave him a disgusted look. Oh, I didn't need to hear that. I say Zuko smile faintly and I tensed abruptly.

"Don't even think about it," I growl stepping in front of him.

"Don't tell me what to do peasant," he snapped and tried to brush past me. I caught his arm in a crushing grip.

"If you so much as touches one hair on Aang's head I'll kill you."

"That would be hard to do seeing as he's bald," Iroh said. We both ignored him and continued to glare at each other.

lxxxXXXxxxl

Sokka poked at the small fire with a stick. Aang and Katara were already asleep, but Sokka was still awake the last memory of his father playing in his head.

_Sokka with a large pack in his arms and wearing warrior's face-paint walked over to where his father was standing next to a ship. Hakoda handed a bundle to one of the men on the ship and smiled when he saw his son. He walked over to Sokka. _"_Sokka."_

"_I'm coming with you." Sokka stated determinedly._

"_You're not old enough to go to war, Sokka, you know that." Hakoda said gently as he looked down at his young son._

"_I'm strong, I'm brave, I can fight!" Sokka said desperately, "Please, Dad!"_

_Hakoda put his hand on his son's shoulder, "Being a man is knowing where you're needed most. And for you right now, that's here, protecting your sister."_

"_I don't understand." Sokka said quietly._

"_Someday you will." Hakoda said gently and Sokka dropped his bag and himself into his father's arms._

"_I'm going to miss you so much…" Hakoda whispered as he hugged his son tightly to him._

Sokka shook his head solemnly and continued to poke at the fire. The Water Tribe boy instantly jumped alert when he heard a strange noise come from the shadows. "Who's there?" He demanded as he stood with his boomerang in hand.

Sokka watched as a man in Water Tribe clothes with white bandages wrapped around the upper left part of his torso stepped from the shadows and appeared in the light of the fire. "Sokka?"

Sokka looked at the man then asked spiritedly in recognition, "Bato?"

"Who the what now?" Aang mumbled sleepily as he lifted himself up slightly.

"Bato!" Katara exclaimed excitedly, snapping to wakefulness when she saw the Water Tribe man.

"Sokka! Katara!" Bato said happily as the two siblings rushed towards him, "It's so good to see you!" He hugged them both at the same time and smiled down at them, "You've grown so much!"

Aang approached the three but remained a few feet away as he bowed to Bato. "Hi, I'm Aang." He greeted politely then straightened as Katara and Sokka pulled away from Bato. They ignored him.

"Where's Dad?" Sokka asked eagerly.

"Is he here?" Katara asked just as eager.

"No, he and the other warriors should be in the Eastern Earth Kingdom by now." Bato replied and they looked slightly crestfallen at the news. A sudden gust of wind caused them all to shiver. "This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside." Bato suggested then slung his arms around Katara and Sokka's shoulders, leading them away.

He gestured for Aang to follow with his hand. Aang trailed after them as Bato led them to an abbey some distance away from the campsite they had made by the ocean.

"After I was wounded, your father carried me to this abbey." Bato explained, "The sisters have cared for me ever since."

"Superior," Bato called out as he lead Katara and Sokka towards an elderly nun, who turned around to face him, "These are Hakoda's children. They've been traveling with the Avatar. I found them by my boat."

The elderly nun smiled as she faced Aang, "Young Avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey."

"Thank you, it's truly an honor to be here. If there's anything-" Aang started to offer but Sokka cut him off.

"What smells so good, Bato?" the boy asked, looking up at the older warrior curiously.

Bato sniffed the air then explained, "The sisters craft ointments and perfumes."

"Perfume?" Sokka asked then gestured at Appa with his thumb, "Maybe we can dump some on Appa, because he stinks so much. Am I right?" Sokka waved his hand in front of his face. Everyone remained silently and one person coughed quietly.

"You have your father's wit." Bato commented with slight amusement as he looked at the young teen, then he lead the three of them into his hut.

"Bato, it looks just like home!" Katara exclaimed when she saw the hut had a small fire in the middle and there were various pelts on the floor and walls.

"Everything's here, even the pelts!" Sokka stated excitedly as he sat down on one of the pelts near the fire.

"Yeah, nothing's cozier than dead animal skins." Aang muttered sarcastically, watching as Momo jumped from his arm and started hitting the head of a bear pelt only to hiss and return to Aang's shoulder when the mouth closed with a snap. He shook his head and dropped down next to Sokka.

"No way!" Katara said in surprise and delight as she lifted the lid off a pot hanging over the fire, "Stewed sea prunes!"

"Help yourself." Bato offered with a smile as he joined her and Sokka by the fire.

"Dad could eat a whole barrel of these things." Sokka commented as Katara began filling the bowls.

Katara handed Aang a bowl and the boy sniffed it then cringed in disgust and set the bowl back down. Momo leapt over and started to eat the stewed sea prunes but spit them back out a moment later and started scratching at the bowl.

"Bato, is it true that you and dad lassoed an arctic hippo?" Katara asked as she ate a spoonful of stewed sea prunes.

"It was your father's idea, he just dragged me along." Bato said with fond smile, "Well, the hippo did most of the dragging!"

"Hey, I ride animals too!" Aang said excited as Katara and Sokka slurped at their stewed sea prunes, "There was this one time when I rode a giant eel and I-"

"So, who was it that came up with the Great Blubber Fiasco?" Sokka asked, cutting Aang off.

Bato chuckled to himself quietly, "You knew about that?"

"Everyone does!" Katara said with a small laugh.

"What's that story?" Aang asked curiously but Sokka waved his question away.

"It's a long one, Aang, some other time."

Katara smiled at Bato, "You and Dad had so many hilarious adventures."

"Not all of which were hilarious at the time, but everything's funny in hindsight." Bato said with a chuckle then stopped when he saw Aang wearing a fur pelt on his head, "Hey, Aang! Please put that down, it's ceremonial and very fragile."

Aang careful put the fur pelt back on the wall and sat back down in the corner near the door, pulling his knees to his chest and resting his chin on them with a crestfallen expression.

"Was it your or Dad that put an octopus on your head and convince Gran-Gran you were a water spirit?" Sokka asked with a grin at the older man.

"Your dad wore the octopus." Bato said then lowered his voice, "But I did the spooky voice."

Aang sighed quietly as he watched his friends talk to Bato as if he wasn't there. The young monk had never felt more alone before and he desperately wished Xena was there. He careful felt for the link that bound them together but once again couldn't find it.

lxxxXXXxxxl

-Zuko PoV-

Iroh followed Zuko to a seedy looking bar. "Out of my way!" Zuko snapped as he shoved people out of his way, "Step aside, filth!"

"He means no offense!" Iroh apologized quickly to the man Zuko had pushed as he followed after his young nephew, "I'm certain you bathe regularly."

The bounty hunter was arm-wrestling with a man that looked twice her size. "I need to talk to you!" The banished prince stated loudly as he glared down at the woman.

"Well, if it isn't my new friends, Angry Boy and Uncle Lazy." she commented as she glanced at the two, "Where's your girlfriend."

"She's my prisoner not my girlfriend!" Zuko snapped.

The woman smirked at the angry firebender. Finally growing bored with her opponent, the bounty hunter slammed the man's hand down against the table and the crowd cheered for her victory, tossing money on to the grimy table.

"Your beast trashed my ship." Zuko growled lowly, "You _have _to pay me back!"

"Well, I'd love to help you out, but I'm a little short on money." The woman stated as she collected her winnings then leaned back in her chair and addressed the boisterous crowd, "Drinks on me!"

Zuko grabbed the woman's wrist in a vice like grip when she lifted her cup to her mouth.

"Money isn't what I had in mind." Zuko stated his tone dangerous.

"I need you to find someone." Zuko said after they had left the tavern. Zuko held up Katara's necklace.

"What happened," the bounty hunter, named June, asked as she leaned against her shirshu, "Your girlfriend run off on you?"

"It's not the girl I'm after," Zuko stated coolly, "It's the bald monk she's traveling with."

June gave him an unamused look, "Whatever you say."

"If you find them, I'll consider the damage to my ship _paid for_."

"Heh, forget it." June scoffed and started to climb into the shirshu's saddle but Iroh's next words made her pause.

"Plus, we'll pay your weight in _gold_."

June smiled and walked over to Iroh, poking his rounded belly, "Make it _your _weight, and we gotta deal."

Iroh laughed merrily, "You got it!"

"Get on!" June instructed as she grabbed the necklace from Zuko. Iroh eagerly climbed on followed more slowly by Zuko. June held out the necklace for her shirshu to sniff. The shirshu raised its head sniffed the air and stood up as her rider jumped on.

lxxxXXXxxxl

"There's something I should tell you kids." Bato stated after he and the two siblings had finished eating, "I'm expecting a message from your father."

"Really?" Katara asked excitedly.

"When?" Sokka demanded a moment later.

"Any day now. Your father said he'd send a message when they found the rendezvous point." Bato explained, "If you wait here until the message arrives, you can come with me, and see your father again." Aang opened his eyes and sat up, looking at his friends with a worried expression on his young face. He couldn't believe they were talking about leaving him as if he weren't even there.

"It's been over two years since we've seen Dad." Sokka said excitedly and tossed his hands in happily, "That would be so incredible! Katara!"

"I do really miss him; it would be _great _to see Dad." Katara agreed, smiling.

"It's been far too long, hasn't it?" Bato commented with a nod of agreement.

Aang frowned sadly then got to his feet and left the hut with slumped shoulders, Momo following after him. "I'm not sure when word will, but when it does-"

Aang slid the hut's door shut, cutting off the rest of Bato's sentence.

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"It would be great, but we can't." Sokka said, "We have to take Aang to the North Pole first."

"Even if we do have time to wait for the message, who knows how far we'd have to travel." Katara added a little sadly, "We don't have time for a long detour."

Bato smiled at the two proudly, "I'm sure your father would understand, and be proud that his children are helping the Avatar."

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"I can't believe they would leave me." Aang said quietly as he sat on the bow of Bato's ship, one knee pulled up to his chest. Aang looked up when he heard the hoof beats of an ostrich horse. His brow furrowing when an Earth Kingdom messenger rode towards him quickly.

"I'm looking for Bato of the Water Tribe." The messenger stated urgently as he looked up at Aang.

"Uh…" Aang stuttered, "I know Bato!"

"Make sure he gets this!" The messengers said quickly then handed Aang a scroll and rode back the way he'd just come, disappearing into the night a few moments later. Aang looked at the scroll in his hand curiously then opened it, his eyes widening when he saw it was a map. "It's the map to Sokka and Katara's dad!" He gasped quietly as he looked at the map, then he pursed his lips in frustration and crumpled the map into map, shoving it inside a pocket in his shirt. Aang wrapped his arms tighter around his chest and sat on the bow of the ship for a little longer before heading back to the abbey. Aang opened the door of the hut and poked his head in quickly before stepping inside fully.

"Hey everybody!" Aang greeted enthusiastically, lifting his hand in a small wave as he slid the door shut behind him, "Sorry I was gone so long."

Katara turned to face him with a curious and sheepish look on her face, "Hey, Aang, I didn't notice you left."

"Yup, but now I'm back." Aang said, trying not to sound guilty as he sat down, "Sure could go from some delicious sea prunes!" He grabbed the bowl and began digging in, rapidly shoveling spoonful after spoonful into his mouth then choking on them, but he continued to act as if he was enjoying them. Katara, Sokka and Bato gave him strange looks but decided to ignore the younger boy's strange behavior.

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"Out for a bit of fresh air, are we?" An elderly woman with a cat asked as the shirshu stopped outside her apothecary.

"We're looking for someone." Zuko replied.

"I hope it's not Miyuki." The elderly woman said then she looked at her fluffy white cat, "Miyuki, did you get in trouble with the Fire Nation, again?" The cat purred in response.

June shook her head, "The Avatar's been through here. Let's keep moving."

She cracked her whip and Nyla bounded off, back on Katara's trail.

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Aang airbended some hay over to Appa, causing the crumpled map to fall out of his sleeve.

"Aha! I caught you!" the Mother Superior said victoriously as she picked up the crumpled paper and pointed at Aang, who was looking at her nervously, "You should be ashamed of yourself, littering in the courtyard."

"I'm sorry; I'll take care of this." Aang said quickly and took it from her outstretched hand, trying to keep the relief from his face as he bowed to the Mother Superior.

The nun nodded and walked away. Aang watched her leave then stuffed the crumpled map back into the shirt with a relieved and slightly concerned expression on his face.

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"This ship is sentimental to me." Bato stated as he touched the ship's hull, "It was built by my father."

Aang walked behind Bato and flinched when he saw the ostrich horse tracks in the sand. He glanced over his shoulder nervously then sent a gust of wind down the beach, erasing the tracks. He turned back around, clasping his hands behind his back and started whistling an innocent and happy tune as he walked back over to the others.

"Is this the boat he took you ice dodging?" Sokka asked curiously as he looked at the Water Tribe ship.

"Yep! It's got the scar to prove it." Bato confirmed with a chuckle then looked at the younger Water Tribe boy, "How 'bout you Sokka? You must have some good stories from your first time ice dodging." Sokka looked away sadly and Katara stepped forward, placing her hand on her brother's shoulder.

"He never got to go." She explained, "Dad left before he was old enough."

"Oh," Bato muttered, "I forgot you were too young."

"What's ice dodging?" Aang asked curiously.

"It's a rite of passage for young Water Tribe members. When your' fourteen, your dad takes you-" Bato started to explain then stopped, smiling and put his hand on Sokka's shoulder, "You know what, you're about to find out!"

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The shirshu once again pulled to a stop in front of a building where an older woman in yellow robes stood, completely calm.

"Why are we stopping?" Zuko demanded in aggravation.

"Because the girl must have spent a lot of time here." June explained flatly.

"We have no time for this!" He snapped as he jumped off Nyla's back and thrusted Katara's necklace in front of the shirshu's nose. Nyla hissed and snapped her tongue out at Zuko, who barely managed to dodge.

"Hey!" Zuko snapped as he straightened and glared at the creature, "Watch it!"

"Oh look, he likes you!" June teased as Iroh laughed from his spot behind her.

The old woman approached the shirshu and addressed Iroh with her hands on her hips. "Care to hear your fortune, handsome?" She offered flirtatious.

"At my age, there's only one big surprise left," Iroh replied, "And I'd just as soon leave it a mysterious." Nyla lurched forward, leaping onto a building then over to other side to continue chasing Katara's scent trail. Aunt Wu frowned at their retreating forms remembering the fortune she had given to the young Avatar about his friend.

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"Ice dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery, and trust." Bato explained to the trio as they sailed his boat through the water, "In our village, ice dodging was done by weaving a boat through a field of icebergs."

"How are we supposed to ice dodge without ice?" Sokka questioned skeptically.

"You'll be dodging those." he answered pointing to a group of sharp, jagged rocks near the shore. "Sokka, you steer and call the shots, lead wisely. Katara, you secure the mainsail. The winds can be brutal, so be brave." Bato instructed then turned to Aang, "Aang, you control the jib. Without your steady hand, we all go down. Your position is about trust."

Aang blinked up at him and said defensively, "I know that. Why wouldn't I know that? I'm the Avatar, I know about trust!"

"For this to be done right, I cannot help." Bato stated as he sat at the front of the ship, "You pass or fail on your own."

Sokka studied the rocky shores critically for a moment then began tossing out orders, "Aang, ease up on the jib. Katara, steady." Katara gave the rocky shore a concerned look but did as he brother instructed "Aang, less sail. Katara, give him room." Sokka commanded just before the ship moved to the side and sailed between some rocks, "Aang, helm to lee. Helm to lee!"

"What does that even mean?" Aang shouted in confused frustration as he yanked on the rope.

The waves knocked roughly against the boat, tossing Bato around but he kept his eyes closed and remained calm and silent. Sokka struggled to steer the boat through the rocks while Katara and Aang closed their eyes and held tightly to the ropes in their hands.

"Great job!" Sokka complimented with a grin that the younger two returned happily as they successfully sailed through the rocks only to fade too scared looks as they saw the boat heading straight for a densely packed area of rocks.

"There's no way through!" Katara shouted.

"We can make it." Sokka replied confidently as he watched the boat get closer to the rocks.

Bato stood then and grabbed the side of the boat, looking at the rocks worriedly, "Sokka, you've already proven yourself. Maybe we should-"

"Aang, I'm gonna need air in that sail." Sokka ordered, cutting Bato off, "Katara, I want you to bend as much water as you can between us and those rocks… Now!"

Katara quickly began moving her arms, bending the water underneath the boat while Aang blasted wind into the sail. The boat began to rise and move faster as Katara bended the water beneath them and Aang continued tossing air into the large sail until the boat passed right over the rocks with inches to spare. Sokka sighed in relief as the boat reached clear water while the others smiled proudly at him. He steered the ship back to the beach.

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"The spirits of water bear witness to these marks." Bato intoned as he dipped his finger into the blue paint then turned to Sokka, "For Sokka the Mark of the Wise."

Bato used his thumb to paint an arc with a small dot underneath it on Sokka's forehead and proudly stated, "The same mark your father earned."

"For Katara," Bato said as he moved onto the dark-haired waterbender and painted a crescent moon onto her forehead, "the Mark of the Brave. Your courage inspires us."

Bato stopped in front of Aang and smiled down at the young monk then used his thumb to paint an arc on his forehead, "And for Aang, the Mark of the Trusted. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe."

Aang stared up at him for a split second then looked down shamefully, "I can't."

"Of course you can!" Katara said.

"No," Aang denied as he wiped the mark away with his sleeve, "You can't trust me."

"Aang, what are you talking about?" Katara questioned in concern with a confused look.

"A messenger gave this to me for Bato." Aang said as he pulled the crumpled paper from his shirt sleeve and Katara took it, "You _have _to understand. I was afraid you would-"

"This is the map to our father!" Sokka shouted angrily as he cut Aang off with a furious look, "You had this the whole time? How could you?" Aang shrugged helplessly and winced as Sokka continued to shout angrily at him.

"Well, you can go to the North Pole on your own. I'm going to find Dad." Sokka snapped angrily as he began to walk away.

"Well, Sokka. I think you should-" Bato started to say but Sokka cut him off as he turned to look at his sister.

"Katara, are you with me?"

Katara hesitated and looked back at Aang then closed her eyes as she turned away, "I'm with you, Sokka."

Aang watched sadly as the Water Tribe members walked back to the abbey. He stood on the beach for a moment then trailed after them slowly with his head hung low in shame, knowing exactly what Xena would have said to him.

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Aang watched sadly from Appa's head as Bato helped Katara secure her pack while Sokka strapped his own to his back. Katara pursed her lips slightly and walked over to stand in front of Appa, looking up at Aang sadly.

"Good luck." She said and Aang nodded.

"Okay. You too."

The young boy watched as she joined Sokka and Bato by the abbey gate before leaving. Aang sighed quietly when the Mother Superior walked in front of Appa and stared up at Aang with slight disappointment in her old eyes.

"Guess I should be moving on." Aang stated half-heartedly as picked up Appa's reins.

"That would be best." The old nun agreed and Aang tugged on Appa's reins. Aang stopped Appa for a moment and watched as Sokka, Katara, and Bato disappeared down the road.

"I'm an idiot, Momo." Aang sighed as he turned Appa towards the beach, and Momo chittered at him in apparent agreement.

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The nuns milled around the abbey courtyard, some stirring the large vats of perfume when a sudden rumbling caused them all to look towards the abbey gates. Their eyes widened and they cried out in fright when Nyla burst through the gates. They watched in terror as the large beast began sniffing around then hissed as it faced the gate again.

"We're getting close." June stated as she whipped Nyla and raced back out of the abbey and into the woods.

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Bato, Katara, and Sokka walked along the trail that cut through the woods. A wolf's howl in the distance caused them to stop and look in the direction it had come from.

"That wolf sounds so sad." Katara commented with a small frown.

"It's probably wounded." Sokka stated but Bato shook his head as turned to face the two siblings standing behind him.

"No," he corrected softly, "It's been separated from the pack. I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the Water Tribe warriors had to leave me behind. They were my family and being apart from them was more painful than my wounds."

Sokka looked down sadly as he remembered standing at the edge of the pier in their village, watching as his father's fleet sailed away from him.

"Sokka?" Katara whispered quietly.

"We need to go back." The younger warrior stated with a determined expression as he turned to face his sister and Katara, "I wanna see Dad, but, helping Aang is where we're needed the most."

"You're right." Katara agreed with a smile as she moved to stand beside her brother, "Especially since Xena is still missing."

Bato walked up to the two siblings and put his hands on their shoulders, "Your father will understand and I know he's proud of you."

"Thanks, Bato." Sokka said with a grateful smile up.

"I know where to go from here." Bato said as he pulled the map out and handed it to Sokka, "Take this in case you want to find us. I'll leave a message at the rendezvous point."

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-Xena PoV-

I tug at the hand cuffs and exhale loudly. Stupid jerk had handcuffed my wrist to his bed while I was asleep. I would have tried to melt the metal but the restraints were made out of a special metal that were made especially for firebending prisoners. I curl into a ball and reach out for Aang with my mind. His feelings are stronger than usual.

_"Aang what's wrong?" I ask worried. His relief rolls over me._

_"I was so stupid, Xena. There was this map to Katara and Sokka's dad and I hid it. Then they left me."_

_"Wow, slow down a sec and start from the beginning." He tells me the story his thoughts slightly subdued. "I can't leave you alone can I? Well, I-" his thoughts drift away from mine as someone talks to him. _I sit up when a guard enters the room with a tray of food. He hands it to me and leaves.

_"Xena, I need your help."_

_"Of course Aang." He quickly tells me his plan and I agree._ I lean forward and close my eyes to hide their change of color as the flecks of silver spread turning my irises completely silver.

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Katara and Sokka hurried back down the path towards the abbey, hoping to catch Aang before he left for the North Pole when Sokka suddenly heard a loud rumbling. The young warrior put his hand up, stopping his sister from walking any further just as a large creature leapt out of the trees behind them, causing both Sokka and Katara to whirl around with wide, fearful eyes.

"So this is your girlfriend." June stated as she looked Katara over while Zuko jumped from the saddle, "No wonder she left, she's way too pretty for you."

"Where is he?" Zuko demanded as he stomped towards the siblings and glared at them, "Where is the Avatar."

"We split up." Sokka replied, "He's long gone."

"How stupid do you think I am?" Zuko growled and his eyes narrowed angrily.

"Pretty stupid." Sokka replied with smirk then he grabbed Katara's arm and yanked her behind him, "Run!"

Nyla's tongue lashed out, striking both of them and the two siblings fell to the ground, paralyzed.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Zuko demanded in irritation as he looked at the two lying on the ground.

June clicked her tongue and nudged Nyla's sides with her heels, urging the shirshu towards the prone Water Tribe siblings.

"It's seeking a different scent." June stated as Nyla began to sniff the Water Tribe boy, "Perhaps something that the Avatar held."

Nyla knocked the map from Sokka's pack and began sniffing it, and then he lifted his head in the direction of abbey, screeching loudly. Zuko smirked and grabbed the two paralyzed teens, tossing them onto the shirshu's back then climbing back into the saddle himself.

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The nuns screamed and scattered when Nyla crashed through the badly repaired gates again.

"What's it doing?" Zuko asked in annoyance as Nyla began sniffing the ground and turning in circles, "It's just going in a circle."

Nyla turned in a circle again then lifted his head to follow the scent trail just as Aang flew straight towards them. The shirshu stood on his hind legs as Aang flew over him and lashed out with his tongue, missing the young Avatar completely as it toppled over throwing off its riders.

"Aang!" Katara exclaimed excitedly.

June jumped to her feet, "Up!" With a snap of her whip Nyla rolled to her feet, June jumping back into the saddle.

Aang landed near the well and turned around, staring at the duo. They charged towards him only to have Appa knock them away as he rammed into the shirshu. Aang and Zuko faced each other. If Zuko had been paying attention he would have noticed Aang's normally gray eyes were silver.

Two nuns dragged Sokka and Katara to safety, leaning them against a far wall away from the majority of the fighting.

Katara and Sokka watched with wide eyes as Zuko and Aang began to fight each other. Zuko sent a blast of fire at the bald monk but Aang dispersed it with his staff.

-Xena PoV-

Aang used his staff to send another air blast at Zuko but the Fire Nation prince sidestepped and launched his own fire blast which Aang jumped over to avoid. Zuko moved closer, sending a fireball at Aang's head then his feet. Through my connection with Aang, I twirl around Zuko to avoid the bursts of fire. Aang sent an air blast at Zuko's head at my direction but Zuko easily ducked sent more fireballs at Aang. Aang launched an air blast at Zuko before I told him to resulting in the two elements exploding. We twist lithely in the air to land on our feet

Iroh helped June regain consciousness from across the courtyard.

The bounty hunter jumped to her feet and whipped the still shirshu, "Come on! Get up!"

Nyla climbed back to her feet again and Iroh smiled slightly as he watched June jump into the saddle, racing towards Appa. The sky bison leapt into the air and Nyla skidded to a halt, lashing out his barbed tongue and striking one of Appa's hind legs, causing the bison to crash to the ground with a crash. June smirked as she looked at the downed bison only for the smirk to be wiped away when Appa's eyes snapped open and he got back to his feet with a growl. June whipped Nyla and the shirshu screeched then charged headlong towards Appa. The bison charged forward as well and the two large beasts collided head first, sending June flying from the saddle. She twisted in midair and snapped her whip, striking Appa once before she landed on her backside with a grunt. June gasped and rolled away just as Appa spun around and stomped on the ground where June had been a moment before.

Zuko ran straight towards us with his arm pointed to the side with fire streaming from his fingertips which he swung at Aang. We jumped into the air and flipped over his head, landing on the thin beam at the top of the room. Zuko spun around and leapt at him, kicking a blast of fire at the Airbender. We jumped into the air again and Aang sent an air blast at Zuko, but he dodged and launched another volley of flames at Aang as he landed back on the roof, knocking him onto his back. Aang dispersed the flames with his airbending and leapt to his feet, sending a powerful gust of air at Zuko and knocking him back into an abbey corner tower. I take control again and run towards Zuko the same way he had earlier, a stream of air spiraling from Aang's fingertips as together we attack.

Zuko looked up and leaped off the roof and back down to the courtyard and we went to follow him but were forced to back up when Nyla jumped onto the roof right in front of us. Appa roared angrily as the shirshu chased Aang across the roof. The bison turned around and slapped his tail against the ground, sending a huge blast of air at Nyla, who barely managed to dodge as the roof was torn right off.

-Zuko PoV-

The Avatar panted slightly as he landed in front of the well then lunged behind it when Zuko sent a large fire blast him. Zuko raced forward and began sending three fireballs in rapid succession at him through the space between the pillars but Aang twirled out of the way of each one. Zuko sent another blast and Aang dodged behind the opposite side of the well, ducking again to avoid the prince's next fireball. As he straightened, Aang caught sight of the blue necklace wrapped around Zuko's extended arm and his eyes narrowed.

"You've got something I want." Aang stated and was it just Zuko's imagination or was there a slight echo. Aang jumped between the four beams supporting the well covering.

Zuko growled and launched multiple fire blasts at Aang but the bald boy dodged each one by moving into different positions between the beams. Irritated, Zuko punched two of the well's support beams in half then kicked the rest of the covering away. Aang jumped over the broken well covering then landed on the well's edge just as Zuko leapt onto the edge opposite him. The two danced around the well's ledge, sending blasts of air and fire at each other. Aang sent two air blasts at Zuko then tried to snatch Katara's necklace from Zuko's wrist but missed when the prince pulled his arm back.

Zuko lunged forward, punching a fire blast at the monk but Aang jumped up and over him, kicking Zuko between the shoulders and sending him crashing to the ground but not before Aang managed to hook his foot around Katara's necklace. Aang flipped through the air and grabbed the necklace from his foot then dived straight into the well.

Zuko roared angrily as he leapt into the air and sent a powerful fire blast down into well then landed on the rim, a huge geyser of water throwing him into the air a moment later.

Aang flipped out of the well and landed in a crouch, the well water raining down on him as Zuko hit the ground on the other side of the well. The prince growled and lunged to his feet, launching a blast of fire at the Avatar as he moved towards him only to back up quickly when the bison suddenly stomped towards him.

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Mother Superior hurried out of a large hole in one of the abbey's buildings and waved a vial of perfume under Sokka and Katara's noses, causing Sokka to gag and Katara to straighten up, the paralyze gone.

"That thing sees with its nose." Sokka stated as he rubbed his wrist, "Let's give him something to look at."

"The perfume?" Mother Superior questioned and Sokka smirked.

A couple of the nuns quickly wheeled out four large pots of the perfume then the nuns and Sokka pushed the pots over, spilling the perfume onto the ground, just as Zuko and the shirshu cornered Aang. Katara bended the strong smelling liquid onto the shirshu. Nyla began to freak out and hit Zuko then June with its barbed tongue. Iroh dove forward to catch June. Nyla crashed into the perfume vats and then ran out of the abbey.

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"So… Where do we go?" Aang asked as he sat cross-legged on Appa's head, looking over his shoulder at Sokka and Katara nervously.

"We're getting _you _to the North Pole." Katara replied with a smile.

"Yeah," Sokka agreed with his own smile, "We've lost too much time as it is."

Aang turned towards the siblings and leaned against the saddle.

"Don't you want to see you father?" Aang asked.

"Of course we do, Aang." Sokka responded, "But, you're our family too, you and Xena. And right now, you need us more."

"And _we _need you." Katara piped in with an affectionate smile.

"I wish I could you a little piece of home, Katara." Aang said as he folded his head on the front of the saddle and rested his chin on his arms, "Something to remind you…"

"I'll be okay." Katara assured him sadly.

"Still, just a little trinket. Maybe something like…" Aang trailed off then held up Katara's necklace with a proud smile on his face, "This?"

She took the necklace gently from Aang's hand. "Aang, how'd you get that?" Katara whispered in shock as she put the necklace on.

Aang smirked at her, "Zuko asked me to be _sure _I got it to you."

"Aw, that's sweet of Zuko." Katara cooed sarcastically as she batted her eyelashes, "Could you give him a kiss for me when you see him?"

"Sure." Aang agreed with a grin then blushed brightly when Katara kissed his cheek.

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-Xena PoV-

I keep my face clear of emotion when Zuko walks in, arms folded across my chest somewhat awkwardly from the restraints. I study his glum face and smirk.

"I see your great plan didn't work out so well." He scowled and stomped over to his mediation table. Now it's my turn to scowl.

"Hey, aren't you going to remove this," I say and lift my wrist for emphasis. He ignores me and I growl before flopping back onto the bed with my arms above my head. I mumble under my breath, "Ass."

**Next Chapter is gonna be a little weird and also a surprise. This chapter explained more of Aang's and Xena's relationship through the bond that they shared. It was a little hard to write the segments when they were working together so it may have mistakes. See you next chapter.**

**-Wolf**


	15. Ch14: The Deserter

**Chapter Fourteen: The Deserter**

Zuko and I try to avoid each other as much as possible which often ended up with me spending time with Iroh. We usually played Pai Sho but today Iroh says he has a gift for me. He hands me a small book with a familiar carved image of a fire ferret on the front. The fire ferret was Drake's family crest just like the flying boar was Tami and Tamsin. I take the book from him carefully and flip open to the first page. A picture was held to the page with black tabs. The picture was one I knew well. It had been professionally done on the last day of my training in the Fire Nation. The Bei-Fong twins and Korra had come to visit though Tamsin claimed she was there because she had been my earth style teacher. Korra and Drake were eleven at the time and the twins were fifteen. Tamsin was sitting between Korra and Tami with her arms thrown around their shoulders and a large goofy grin on her face **(Tamsin looks like Ty Lee)**, Drake was lounging coolly against a tree to the side, and I was sitting at his feet smiling shyly.

"Where did you get this?" I ask, closing the book.

"My old firebending teacher gave it to me before he died. He wished for me to keep it in hopes that I could pass it on to his beloved," Iroh gave me a knowing look, sipping his tea.

"A valuable gift. Thank you, Iroh."

"He was always a delightful man but yet extremely sad that he couldn't be with her. His father forced him to marry eventually."

I sigh sadly feeling my eyes tear up slightly, "and who was his ... beloved."

"The Avatar's Guardian but you already knew that," he says setting his tea cup down.

I look down for a minute before asking," Did he ever have children?"

"One. A daughter named Ursa, who so happens to be Zuko's mother." I tense sharply and excuse myself, heading back to Zuko's room. So Zuko was Drake's grandson. If I about it I could notice the similarities. His eyes were the same red gold as Drake's and he had his nose.

I sit on the edge of the bed and flip through the scrapbook. Most of the drawings and paintings are Drake's work but quit a few are Rivon's. I close my eyes and lean back on the bed. I sob quietly and curl into a ball.

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-Zuko PoV-

Zuko tries to shake his prisoner awake but the girl mumbles and pulls away from him. He hissed in her ear, "Wake up." She sits up with a gasp and punches him in the stomach. Zuko stumbled back and dropped to the ground gasping for breath. Xena glares at him for a second. He grumbles and sits on the bed next to her. She frowns slightly and touches her shoulder. When she pulls her hand back it's covered in blood. Zuko sighed and moved closer to her side.

"Let me see," he demands. She looks at him for a second before turning so her back is to him and pulling her shirt off. He blushes and is glad that she has bindings on. He carefully removes the blood soaked bandages. They wound continues to bleed and he sighs.

"I'll be right back," she gapes after him as he leaves. He heads to the medical bay and finds rags to clean the wound and a bowl of water but no matter how much he searches he can't locate any bandages. He huffs and pinches the bridge of his nose before heading back to his room.

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-Xena PoV-

I lightly tug at the water in the room distractedly trying to figure out why Zuko would be helping me. There's a soft scraping sound as come from seemingly nowhere due to the small amount of water trapped in the bases. I glance down and barely make out a vent at the base of the floor where Zuko must have hid them. I push the swords back with my waterbending seconds before Zuko walks in carrying a bowl of water and rags.

"I couldn't find any bandages," he said sitting next to me. I shiver when he drags the cold wet rag across the wound and down my back to clean the blood away. I reluctantly remove the clean white cloth from around my forearms so he can bandage the wounds. He carefully bandages the back of the wound before moving around in front of me to do the same to the front side of the wound. He frowns and gently touches the scars on my collar bone. I grab his wrist warningly and unwittingly line up the scars on my right arm with the ones on my chest. His brow furrows in shock and I try to scoot back but it's already too late and he spots the ones on my other arm.

"Don't touch me," I snap trying to pull back.

"What happened?" he demands. I hiss like an enraged cat when he jostles my wounded shoulder and try to kick him. he pushes me back onto the bed. "Did Zhao do this?"

"No," I snap and squirm under his weight.

"How did this happen?"

"It's personal," He's quiet as he tries to hold my thrashing body down.

Finally he pinned me down, "I'll tell you about mine if you tell me about yours." I shake my head frantically. "Xena, I won't hurt you." Too late for that. I give up and close my eyes sadly.

-Zuko PoV-

She sobs quietly and Zuko begins to feel guilty. Someone as strong and fierce as her shouldn't be crying like a child. He didn't realize he had spoken out loud until she responded.

"I'm still a child even if I grew up fast."

"A child, really? I thought you were twenty or something," he said teasingly. Her eyes fly open in shock and once again he's taken aback by the flecks of silver. For a split second he thinks he offended her until she laughs. He smiles at the sound. Her laugh is so sweet and gentle, very different from her Uncle's deep warm chuckle and opposite from Azula's malicious cackle. Finally her laughter dies and she gets serious.

"Your Uncle's coming," she said. He started to ask how she knew that when Uncle threw open the door without knocking. Zuko's head whipped up at the sound. Xena quickly pushes Zuko off and pulls up the blanket displacing the water into his lap. Uncle looks at Zuko, then at Xena, and back to Zuko. he opens his mouth several times before pointing behind him and leaving. Xena blushing like crazy jumped up and pulled her shirt on. She moved quickly out of the room never once looking back at him. He sighs and shuts the bedroom door so he can change into dry clothes. As he does he dislodges a roll of black cloth from an upper shelf. He picks it up and pocketed it without thinking.

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-Xena PoV-

I ran down the hall and a staircase with no direction in mind just escape._ Why did I do that? Why would I let the enemy get so close?_ My thoughts continue along that path asking me variations of the same question. Eventually I come back to my surroundings and realize that I had in the storage bay behind a bunch of barrels and crates. taking several steadying breaths I head up on deck. Zuko has already started his training. I lean against the railing and avoid looking at Zuko which is kinda hard to do with my heat vision. I dim my heat vision till it's practically nonexistent. Everything looks duller without it.

"Xena, why don't you spar with Zuko," Iroh said behind me. I face seawards for a few more seconds before turning.

"Sure, why not?" I regret that as soon as Iroh gives me a knowing smile. Several of the soldiers stop what they're doing and head over to watch. Zuko tosses me a ball of black cloth. I raise an eyebrow before winding it quickly around my forearms to hide the scars leaving my betrothal bracelet over the top.

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I stand facing Zuko in a relaxed and bored stance. He slid into his stance and raised an eyebrow at me. _Unnerve your opponent. _I grin like the Cheshire cat and charge forward. _Stay defensive. _I dodge his fire blasts. _Hold your ground. _I bend backwards so his fireball flies over my head. _Break their roots._ I step to the side, hook my leg around Zuko's and bring him crashing down. First Set; Air, Earth, Water, and Fire. _Ground yourself and endure._ I catch his kick on my forearms as he flips up. _Defend low._ I drop under his next punch setting him off balance. _Attack high._ I straighten my legs and uppercut causing Zuko to stumble back._ Dive to finish._ I flip over his head, my hands touching the ground first and I kick backwards. Second Set; Air and Fire also known as the Dragon Set: Scales, Coil, Ram, and Whip.

"Down yet," I ask, hands on my hips looking down at Zuko.

"What the hell was that?" Zuko spat jumping up.

"That Prince Zuko was the Dragon Set," Iroh said looking at me curiously," an advanced firebending set."

I shrug nonchalantly,"I've been places."

"I've never heard of the Dragon Set," Lieutenant Jee said right behind me. I flinch involuntarily and blush slightly when Zuko gives me a strange look.

"That's because no one has mastered it in a hundred years and non-firebenders have never mastered it."

"There's a first for everything," no one buys it but after the battle prowess I just showed none of them are willing to fight me on it.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Iroh said cheerfully, "there's a Fire Nation festival in a nearby colony tonight."

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"Why did we agree again?" I ask Zuko fixing the mask and cloak Iroh had given me.

"Because Uncle would have kept pestering," he answered tugging on his high collar tunic.

"Oh, yeah." I stuck close to Zuko's side not wanting to get lost in this huge crowd. He found a restaurant and chooses a table in the corner next to a window. I nervously twisted my bracelet around my wrist, a habit I tried to break by having under the cloth covering my arms. Zuko ordered the food but I was more worried about the flash of orange and yellow I had just seen. When I reached out through the bond I realized sure enough it was Aang.

"When's the lucky day?" the waitress asks.

"What?" Zuko and I ask at the same time.

"That's a betrothal bracelet isn't it?" she said gesturing to my wrist. Zuko looked down at my bracelet.

"It was," I say pulling the sleeve of the cloak down over it.

She didn't miss the past tense, "something happened."

"My fiancé died," I say quietly. Zuko looked up and I met his gaze evenly. He clears his throat and gives the waitress a pointed look. She hurries away. I quickly change the subject, "so this morning you promised to tell about your scar."

"I said I would tell you if you told me about yours," he leans forward. I glare at him and lean forward slightly as well.

"My dad sicked a polarbear dog on me," I say, swallowing hard. I don't want a repeat of this morning. Zuko jerked back as if I had slapped him, "he hated me because I don't look like I'm Water Tribe," my voice wavers slightly at the end.

He's quiet for a few minutes before saying in a low voice, "my father gave me this scar as well." He told me the story in a quiet voice and I realize his past may just be as painful as my own is. We finish eating and go back outside to wander through the festival. We both stand close together as the firecrackers go off. A lot of people cheered. As the colorful sparks fill the sky I realize one thing. I have to end this now.

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Zuko hasn't woken up yet and I would like to be gone before he does. I finish strapping on my swords and swing the cloak on over the top. I don't look back as I run up to the deck. I silently swerve past the guards to the bow of the ship. I crouch behind a crate as another guard passes. When he's gone I straighten up and drift forward on silent feet.

"What are you doing," Zuko demands stepping from the shadows. I jump and mentally face palm. _When make an escape use heat vision._

"I'm leaving," I say straightening," before I do something I'll regret.

"Like what?"

"Becoming friend with you for one."

"And that's a bad thing?" he asks stepping forward.

I retreat a step before answering, "yes, because I'll hesitate in my job."

"And what job would that be?" he says advancing again.  
"Protecting Aang," I retreat another step.

"And why is protecting the Avatar your job?" he asks. An idea comes to me, one that falls under something I'll regret._ I'm sorry Drake._ I step forward, lay my hands against his chest, and kiss him. To my surprise he kisses me back grabbing my wrists. I blush and step back. That didn't work the way I wanted it to.

"Because I'm the Avatar's Guardian," I answer and kick him in the chest. He stumbles back in surprise and his hand yanks the bracelet off my wrist. I dive over the edge of the ship and use waterbending to propel myself away. I use my heat vision in and can sense Zuko behind me watching me leave.

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I look up at the moon for a few seconds. My duty is to protect Aang. _I can't fail; I won't fail_. I push myself from the branch and begin the difficult task of treetop travel. Suddenly a branch cracks under my weight throwing off my next jump so instead of landing on the branch it crashes into my hip. I barely manage to catch it and pull myself up with my wounded shoulder screaming painfully. Lay on the branch panting for breath and holding my shoulder. Energy ripples down my spine and my eyes turn silver as I activate my part of the Avatar State so I don't repeat that again. I push off the branch making sure the branches are strong enough to hold my weight before I jump. I pass over a bunch of guards and smile. _Guards never look up_. I stop in a tree at the edge of a camp. Appa is a few feet away and the others lean against his furry side sleeping. I press back against the trunk of the tree, run along the branch, and push off just as it begins to bend. I land in Appa's saddle with a thump. Appa stands up fast and twists slightly to see me. His quick movement startles everyone else awake. Sokka screams like a girl, pointing at me. I smile under the hood and jump down from the saddle. Katara and Aang stumble back a step. Appa and Momo ruin the moment. Momo chirps and hugs me and Appa licks me with a loud groan.

"Appa," I complain stumbling forward a step.

"Xena!" Aang shouts and tackles me in a hug. Katara and Sokka stare in shock when Aang's hug knocks my hood off. I laugh and push the over enthusiastic airbender away from me.

"What happened to your tattoos?" Sokka asked.

"War paint," I answer and stand up.

Sokka smirked, "you look almost like a nice person."

"I am a nice person," I say with a scowl.

Katara yawns, "look this is nice and all but can we please go back to sleep." Everyone mumbles agreement and go back to bed. I lean against Appa and glance up at the sky remembering what Drake told me about the stars. Each star is a spirit and each constellation tells a story of those spirits. I locate the Northern Star also known as the Avatar's Star. The Avatar's Star is always the brightest star in the sky except for an hour after the Avatar dies.

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Surprisingly I wake up before everyone else the next morning. I quickly follow the curve of the river running next to the camp and get to work repainting the tattoos that I've been without. Instead of the dark gray paint I usually use I paint the leafy foliage on my arms with a green and the wolves on my face are done with a dark blue. The paint dries quickly but I wait a minute to make sure just in case before adding the water resistant stuff which takes longer to dry. In that time I think about the kiss between Zuko and me. The reason I had done it was to distract him which it did but now... I'm not so sure. I growl in frustration at the direction of my thoughts and stand up quickly heading back to the camp. Aang is already awake when I get back and on a sudden inspiration I walk over to him.

"Aang can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure," he tilts his head before following me to the edge of the camp.

"The monks weren't completely honest with about what I can do as your Guardian," I start, "I wanted to tell you but Monk Gyatso told me not to." Aang frowns slightly at my explanation. I take a shaky breath before continuing.

"I'm a waterbender and a firebender."

"Why didn't they want you to tell me?"

"Because they didn't want me to teach you how to bend," I answer truthfully.

"You should've told me," he says angrily, "but I think I understand why you didn't." He hugs me tightly and I return it in relief.

"We should tell Katara and Sokka," I say pulling back.

"Tell us what?" Katara asks walking over to us, Sokka close behind. We share a quick glance before Aang speaks.

"That Xena is my Guardian."

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-Zuko PoV-

Zuko rotated Xena's bracelet in his hands thoughtfully. He was trying to recall every scrap of information he knew about the Avatar's Guardian. She was born in the Northern Water Tribe. Avatar Roku had saved her life after she became ill by giving her some of his chi resulting in her becoming spiritual bound to the Avatar. The exchange of chi gave her the ability to bend fire but also gave her heat vision, which explained why it was so hard to sneak up on her. She became a Master Waterbender at the age of eight and a Master Firebender by age ten. She trained in the art of sword fighting for ages eight to eleven spending half a year in each of the first three elements before taking a whole year to learn air style among the non-bending Air Nomads also known as gypsies. She then traveled to the Air Temple where the eight year old Avatar was and then she vanished alongside the Avatar.

Iroh knocked on the door to his nephew's room before entering. He takes in Zuko's posture and the absence of Xena. "She left."

Zuko drops the bracelet onto the meditation table next to the picture of his mother. "You knew what she was, didn't you?"

"Yes," Iroh said simply.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because nephew she was your grandfather's fiancé once upon a time." Zuko blinked in shock and looked down at the bracelet.

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-Xena PoV-

Aang was standing on a flat rock in the river, Jeong Jeong in front of him on the bank.

"Widen your stance," he instructed and Aang shifted his feet farther apart. "Wider! Bend your knees." Aang complied, "Now concentrate." Jeong Jeong nodded and praised Aang before walking away.

"Wait," Aang called after him confused.

"Silence," Jeong Jeong barked and I sighed quietly. "Talking is not concentrating. Look at you friends, are they talking?"

Katara looked up from her waterbending and I shifted forward swiftly whipping water an inch away from her face to regain her attention. She turns back to me with a snap. I smirk faintly before showing her how to make an ice disk. She copied my movements but couldn't freeze the disk and the water dropped back into the water.

"So when do I get to make some fire?" Aang asked him when he finished speaking.

"Concentrate," he snapped before walking away. Katara and Sokka laugh while I roll my eyes before bending the water to wash Sokka off his perch and pulling Katara into the river with a watery tentacle. I winked at Aang before they both came up gasping for breath.

"I think I preferred it when you were a non-bender," Sokka gasped pulling himself out of the river.

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Aang was sitting on the rock where he had been standing early waiting for Jeong Jeong to come out of his hut. I occasionally glanced up at him as I watched Katara practice a couple of the moves that I'd taught her that she would later teach Aang. The old firebender came out of his hut and looked at Aang.

"I thought about what you said," Aang stated head bowed, "I promise I'll be more patient."

"We're going to work with fire now," Jeong Jeong said and I could see the approval of Aang's behavior change in his eyes.

"Oh yeah," Aang cheered jumping into the air before remembering his promise; "I mean let us begin."

Jeong Jeong caught a leaf as it fell and burned a hole in the center before handing it to Aang. I watched in concern, Aang shouldn't be working with fire yet.

"Concentrate on the fire," he instructed, "I want you to keep the flame from reaching the edges of the leaf for as long as you can." Aang shifted into his stance when a man came crashing through the trees.

Master," he began, "there is trouble."

"What's going on?" Aang asked straightening up.

"Concentrate on your leaf!" Jeong Jeong barked before hurrying after the man. I started to follow but he whispered something in my ear as he passed, "keep an eye on him."

Aang scowled," this is the worst firebending instruction ever. All he does is leave me for hours to concentrate or breath."

"I'm sure there's a good reason," Katara reassured him continuing to waterbend.

"It's actually a really good method. It'll teach you how to control your fire so you don't have any accidents," I say.

"But I'm ready to do much more," he stated. He shifted into a horse stance and began breathing in concentration. My eyes narrow as I sense the heat growing hotter around the leaf. The leaf burst into flame and Aang was left holding a ball of fire.

"I did it," Aang exclaimed excitedly.

"Aang, that's great, but you should take it slow," Katara suggested moving closer to him. Aang took a deep breath and made a slamming motion with his fist. The fire shot up into the air slightly.

"Careful," Katara gasped when he wobbled I stepped forward watching him carefully.

"Now that's firebending." Aang shot a stream of fire away from him and I clenched my jaw he began to juggle it from one hand to another.

"I wonder how that juggler did it," he mused thoughtfully. He lowered himself back into a crouch and then stood up and spread his arms wide. I gasped and stepped forward quickly pulling the fire into my hand before his bending could completely bend it outwards.

"What's going on?" Sokka shouted running from the woods.

"Are you insane?" I shout at Aang extinguishing the fire. Katara looked back and forth between the two of us as I stepped forward. Aang straightened up in defiance.

"Why do you do that?"

"Because Aang that move is used to clear an area around you and it would have hit Katara." His eyes widen in surprise in shock. Katara stepped back away from Aang.

"I'm sorry I didn't know."

"That's why should've done what you were told," I shouted and the water in the river shot upwards knocking him off the rock.

"Xena, stop," Katara shouted as the water rained down around us. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm down. I stepped forward to Aang who was staring at me fearfully and clenching his hand to his chest.

"I'm sorry Aang," I say crouching in front of him, "can I see your hand?" He nods his head and holds out his hand to me. A gash runs across his hand where it had caught against the edge of a rock on the ground. I bend some water out of the river and heal his hand. They all gasped as the wound vanished leaving a smear of blood on his palm.

"How did you do that?" Katara asked in surprise.

"All female waterbenders can do it," I tell her and stand up pulling Aang up as well.

"Xena, I'm sorry I should've listened to Jeong Jeong," Aang said.

"It's okay Aang and I'm sorry for hurting you," I say pulling him into a hug. Jeong Jeong suddenly ran back into the clearing. Ignoring the destruction my waterbending had done he strode up to us.

"You must leave now," he said.

"Why?" Sokka asked stepping forward.

"Firebenders," Jeong Jeong said glancing back behind him. I straightened up my shoulders and focused my heat vision in the direction he was looking. I counted a large number of firebenders.

"We'll help you fight them," Aang said.

"No." The others look at me, "there are too many to fight."

Jeong Jeong nodded in agreement," we're going to evacuate the camp and set some traps for them but that is all we can do. You and your friends should leave now young Avatar while they're still on the shore."

Aang bows his head and nods. I thank Jeong Jeong before following the others.

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"I understand now why the monks didn't want you teaching me how to bend," Aang said turning around on Appa's head.

"Sadly, I have a tendency to make things...explode," I say, blushing faintly.

"I'd say," Sokka commented from where he sat. I glared at him and he shrank back away from me.

Katara leaned forward eagerly, "Can you teach me how to heal with waterbending?"

"Sure," I say shrugging my shoulders.

"It would've been nice if you knew how to heal earlier," Sokka told her, "you could have healed me when I fell into the grease-berry bramble or how about that time I had two fish hooks in my thumb."

"Two?" Aang questioned.

"He tried to get the first out with another fishhook," Katara explained. I smiled and leaned back against the side of the saddle as Sokka continued to rant about all the times it would've been useful if Katara could bend. It was good to be back with my friend.

"Oh Xena I have something for you," Aang says before handing me a piece of bone with spidery cracks on it. I frown and look at him curiously.

**This episode is one of my favorite. I had a faint idea what I wanted to do before I wrote it but I also had several ideas that came to me as I wrote this. Please Review.**


	16. Ch15: The Northern Air Temple

**Chapter Fifteen: The Northern Air Temple**

"So, travelers. The next time you think you hear a strange, large bird talking, take a closer look." The storyteller stated as looked around at the circle of rapt listeners, "It might not be a giant parrot but a talking man. A member of a secret group of air walkers, who laugh at gravity, and laugh at those bound to earth by it!"

"Aren't Airbender stories the greatest?" Aang asked.

"Was it realistic?" Katara questioned eagerly, "Is that how was it was back then?"

"I laugh at gravity all the time." Aang replied then chuckled and shook his head, "Gravity."

I rolled my eyes, "I was laughed at for the longest time just because I couldn't fly on a glider."

The storyteller stopped in front of Sokka and shook his coin-filled hat at him, "Jingle, jingle!"

Sokka searched inside his parka but only managed to pull out a bug, a worm, and a few crumbs. "Sorry…" he apologized weakly and the storyteller groaned in annoyance.

"Cheapskates!" the man mumbled as he walked away. Aang ran after the storyteller.

"Hey!" Aang said as he stopped behind the storyteller who was kneeling in front of the old man, "Thanks for the story."

"Tell it to the cap, _boy_." The man replied, shaking his hat behind him as he continued to face the old man. Aang searched his clothes for some money when Momo leapt from his shoulder and picked up a coin that had fallen out of the cap. The flying lemur put the coin back in the hat as the storyteller turned around.

"Aw, much obliged little bat-thing." The storyteller said with a smile as he petted Momo's head.

"It means a lot to hear Airbender stories." Aang said, "It must have been a hundred years ago your great grandpa met them." Aang added in a slightly yearning tone as he gestured slightly with one arm which Momo used to climb back up to his shoulder.

"What are you prattling about, child?" The man demanded then gestured to the old man sitting behind him, "Great Grand pappy saw the air walkers last week."

The old man made a noise and grinned, waving his hand at Aang. The Airbender looked at the storyteller in disbelief.

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"Hey, we're almost to the Northern Air Temple." Aang said excitedly as he steered Appa through the clouds towards the temple.

"The place where we first met," I added.

"Do you think we'll really find Airbenders?" She asked her brother as he whittled a piece of wood.

"You want me to be like you, or totally honest?"

"Are you saying I'm a liar?" Katara demanded angrily as she crossed her arms.

"I'm saying you're an optimist." Sokka clarified then shrugged indifferently, "Same thing, basically."

"Hey, guys look at this!" Aang called out excitedly. I smiled and watched the green specks of glider wings flying around the Temple.

"They really are Airbenders!" Katara stated in amazement.

Aang scowled and leaned back, his arms crossed over his chest. "No, they're not."

"What do you mean they're not?" Sokka demanded in confusion as he waved his hands at the flying people, "They're _flying_."

I put a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder, "They're gliding sure, but they're not Airbending."

"You can tell by the way they move." Aang explained, "Those people have no spirit."

Suddenly a boy in an odd chair with wheels and glider wings attached to it flew right above us. I ducked along with the Water tribe siblings. "I don't know," Katara gestured toward the laughing boy, "That kid seems pretty spirited."

Aang frowned for a moment then grinned mischievously. Aang opened his glider and flew after the boy. Katara and Sokka watched Aang chase after the other boy before their attention was pulled to a couple other kids on gliders surrounding them as Appa flew closer to the temple. Appa gave an agitated roar and tossed his head back, knocking Katara into her brother.

"We better find some solid ground, before it finds us." Sokka stated pushing Katara off him.

"On it," I answer and jump onto Appa's head. I landed Appa on one of the ledges sticking out of the temple. The other kids landed next to us so they could watch Aang and the boy.

"Go Teo!" one child cheered, "Show that bald kid how it's done!" The two boys began doing loop-de-loops as they flew around the temple then began a downward spiral around each other.

Aang flew closer to the temple, under a bridge, letting go of his glider when he reached one of the temple spires and began running along the wall easily. He created an air scooter halfway around the wall then jumped away from the wall and back onto his glider.

The boy said something to Aang and flew a little faster; smoke came out of a small container on the bottom of his chair. The boy flew through the sky with the smoke trailing behind him for a few minutes drawing a picture of Aang's frowning face. I smiled when I saw how it matched Aang's expression perfectly after he landed.

The boy landed a moment later and jerked on his chair's brakes, skidding a few feet before coming to a complete stop. A group of children lifted the glider off the top of the boy's chair.

The boy looked at Aang for a moment then his eyes widened and he grinned broadly, "Hey, you're a real Airbender, you must be the Avatar!" Teo continued in excitement, looking at Aang in amazement, "That's amazing! I-I've heard stories about you!"

Aang rubbed the back of his head bashfully, "Thanks."

"Wow! This glider chair is incredible!" Sokka complimented as he looked at the glider wings that two kids were holding.

"You think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my dad designed." Teo said as he began wheeling himself into the temple with us trailing after him.

"Agni…"I muttered in shock seeing the pipes and machines running through the temple. Aang looked around the room his expression worried and dismayed.

"Wow!" Sokka squealed excitedly as he ran up to one of the machines.

"Yeah, my dad is the mastermind behind this whole place. Everything's powered by hot air." Teo explained, "It even pumps hot air currents outside to give us a lift while we're gliding."

"This place is unbelievable." Aang muttered.

"Yeah, it's great, isn't it?" Teo replied with a delighted grin.

"No," I stated sensing Aang's feelings about this, "Just unbelievable."

"Aang and Xena used to come here a long time ago." Katara explained quietly when she saw Teo's surprised and slightly hurt expression, "I think they're a little shock it's so…different."

"So better!" Sokka quipped happily as he looked at another machine. I growled and slapped him in the back of the head as I walked past. Aang was staring at a mural of the Air Nomads history that had pipes going through it, destroying the once beautiful painting.

"This is supposed to be the history of our people." Aang said sadly. I sighed and noticed Sokka falling behind I grabbed his ear and pulled him along despite his protests.

"It's all wrong," Aang stated sadly.

"I'm sure some parts of the temple are still the same." Katara said in comfort as she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

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"It's nice to see that at least one part of the temple isn't ruined," Aang commented. He walked around the large room before coming to a stop in front of a statue. I was more concerned with the flickers of heat on the other side of the door.

"Look out," someone shouted and the wall collapsed decapitating the statue. the dust cleared revealing a large machine with a large metal wrecking ball hanging from it.

"What the doodle?" a man with grey hair and partially grown eyebrows asked, "Don't you know enough to stay away from construction sites? We have to make room for the bath house." I grabbed Aang's arm and pulled him back before he could act on the anger that I could sense from him.

"Calm down," I ordered before turning to the man, "You are not airbenders and you have no right to deface the temple like this especially for a stupid bathhouse."

"Well, people around here are starting to stink."

I sighed," and what is wrong with the temples bathhouse." He blinked in shock before coming up with an answer.

"It's old and the pipes are rusted."

"So why don't replace the pipes instead of destroying something that doesn't belong to you."

"The temple doesn't really belong to the Air Nomads anymore," the mechanist tried to reason. Aang's anger at that fueled my own and the crane suddenly exploded as the water in the steam that powered the machine condensed.

"Xena," Katara chided. I took a shaky breath before speaking again.

"The temple belongs to the two remaining Air Nomads which just happen to be me and Aang."

"But," the man scratched his beard, "you're only fifteen and twelve."

"Dad, he's the Avatar and she's his Guardian," Teo said speaking up for the first time, "they used to come here a hundred years ago.

"What are you doing here?" Aang demanded still angry, "Who said you could be here?"

"Hmm… Doing here…" The mechanist muttered to himself as he turned away from us.

"A long time ago, but not a hundred years, my people became refugees after a terrible flood. My infant son, Teo, was badly hurt and lost his mother. I need somewhere to rebuild and I stumbled across this place. Couldn't believe it! Everywhere! Pictures of flying people! But empty, nobody home. Then," The mechanist spread his arms out like he was flying, "I came across these fan-like contraptions."

"Our gliders." Aang stated relaxing slightly.

"Yes! Little, light flying machines!" The mechanist said as he began waving his hands in mock flapping motions, "They gave me an idea. Build a new life for my son, in the air! Then everyone will be on equal ground! So to speak… We're just in the process of improving upon what's already here." Katara sniffled and used Aang's orange shawl to wipe her tears away while Sokka rubbed at his eyes.

"And, after all, isn't that what nature does?" The mechanist asked quietly, glancing over his shoulder at us.

"Nature knows when to stop." Aang replied his anger completely faded.

"I suppose that's true." The mechanist conceded, "Unfortunately, progress has a way of getting away from us."

"Not if you don't control it," I say and then gestured to the crane," sorry about that by the way."

"Not to worry I can just rebuild it though I can't say the same for the statue," he said looking guilty at the headless monk. His attention was suddenly grabbed by three candles burning on an altar.

"Look at the time!" He gasped then turned to the workers standing behind him, "Come! The pulley system must be oiled before dark."

"Wait," Sokka said as he looked at the candles skeptically, "How can you tell the time from that thing? The notches all look the same."

"The candle will tell us. Watch." The mechanist explained as he and Sokka looked at the candle which popped four times a moment later.

"You put spark powder in the candle!" Sokka exclaimed, impressed.

"Four flashes. So it's exactly four hours past mid-day. Or, as I call it—four o'candle." The mechanist grinned and Sokka laughed in amusement. I ignore them and turn to Aang.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," he said, staring at the statue for a moment before turning to me, "sorry if my anger affected you."

"It's all cool beside I think it may of helped make my point." I look up as Sokka leaves with the mechanist.

"Hey Aang, Xena. I want to show you something," Teo said rolling over to us. We exchanged glances before following him back into the temple.

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"There's not a single thing that's the same," Aang mumbled and I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know about that," Teo said picking up a hermit crab,"the temple might be different, but the creatures that live here are probably direct descendants of the ones that lived here a long time ago.  
Katara took the small creature from him, "You're right. They're kinda the keepers of the temple's origins." She handed it to Aang and he smiled softly. I whistled between my teeth and the crab clacked its claws at me. Katara giggled.

"Besides," Teo said wheeling forward again, "there's one part of the temple that hasn't changed." Aang set the crab on the ground before we followed the disabled teen. We came to a stop in front of a large door with the same large lock like the one at the other temple.

"Hey, it's just like the one in the other temple!" Katara exclaimed.

"Only an airbender can open it. So inside is completely untouched, just the way the monks left it. I've always wondered what it's like in there..." I zone out on the rest of the conversation sensing heat on the other side of the door that shouldn't be there if this has remained closed for a hundred years.

"Xena, are you coming?" Katara asked pulling me from my thoughts.

"Yeah," I answered and followed her, glancing back at the door.

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"The wind will carry you. It supports something inside you." Teo explained as he watched the nervous waterbender, "Something even lighter than air. And that something takes over when you fly."

Katara put her glider to the side, "I've changed my mind." She stated as she started to back away from the edge, "I think I was born without that something."

"Impossible!" Teo said with a laugh, "Everybody has it!"

"Spirit."

"What?" Teo asked, turning to look at Aang curiously.

"Spirit." Aang repeated, "That's the something you're talking about."

"Yeah," Teo agreed thoughtfully, "I suppose it is."

Katara took a deep breath and picked the glider back up again, shifting nervously on her feet. I roll my eyes and jump off the cliff with a glider of my own. Before when I was training to be Aang's guardian the monks had made sure I could glide by using the natural air currents. Of course the other students had mocked the fact that I couldn't use bending to do it. Katara jumps off the ledge with more coaxing from Aang and Teo who quickly join us in the air. I can understand why Aang loves flying so much. It has the same calming quality as meditation. I notice when Aang and Teo leave to go back to the temple. With them gone Katara starts freaking out again and ends up swallowing a bug. I laugh before calming her down and showing her how to land.

"You never told us what happened to you when you were Zhao's prisoner," Katara says after we put the gliders up.

"There's not much to tell," I say with a shrug.

"But how did you escape?"

"I was rescued by a mysterious masked man," I say leaning against Appa's side

"Xena, will you be serious," she chides.

"I am."

"Okay then what is the name of this masked man?"

"They call him the Blue Spirit but seeing how I ended up on Zuko's ship I'd say it was him."

"Zuko," she laughed, "Zuko saved you."

"If you laugh at me I won't tell you how I escaped from him."

She continued to laugh, "Let me guess you flaunted your girlish charms at him."

"No," I say blushing slightly. _Not exactly, and I don't think kissing him counted especially since it was just to distract him._ Sokka runs up to us and distracts his sister from our conversation by talking about inventions that Teo's dad showed him.

_"Xena, we have a problem." _To say I was surprised that Aang had managed to contact me through the link would be an understatement. I jump and spin around pulling my swords free.

"Xena, what's wrong?" Katara asks while Sokka squeals when I almost clip him with my blade.

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"This is bad." Teo stated.

"Very bad!" Sokka said.

"Aang, what are we gonna do?" Katara asked, "How can we possibly keep them all away."

"I'll tell you how. We have something they don't." Aang said and smirked and pointed to the sky where a few kids were gliding, "Air power."

"I want to help."

The five teens turn to look at the mechanist as he appeared in the entryway leading onto the bridge.

"Good." Aang said with a nod and a slight smile, "We'll need it."

"Let's show the Fire Nation whose boss," I growl baring my teeth in a feral grin. Everyone except for Aang shifted back slightly.

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"We finally got the war balloon working, thanks to Sokka." The mechanist said as he put his hand on the young warrior's shoulder, "This boy's a genius!"

"Thank you." Sokka said graciously as he grinned at the mechanist, "You're a genius!"

"Thank you!"

"See, the problem with the old war balloon was you could get airborne, but once it did, it just kept going." Sokka explained to the gathering of our small army as he gestured to the papers on the table they were standing behind, "You could put a hole in the top, but then all the hot air would escape. So the question, became, how do you keep a lid on hot air?"

"Ugh, if only we knew." Katara muttered and she, Aang, and Teo snickered amongst each other while I rolled my eyes.

"A lid is actually the answer!" Sokka exclaimed, not hearing his sister's comment, "If you control the hot air, you control the war balloon."

"Huh, that's actually pretty smart." Katara complimented her brother.

"Okay, we've got four kinds of bombs." Sokka replied, "Smoke, slime, fire, and…"

"Stink!" The mechanist finished gleefully, "Never underestimate the power of stink!"

"I think I might have something else to bring to the party," I say leaning forward.

"What?"

"I need a flat wood board, a glider, a pair of sheets, rope..." I continued to list off a couple more items. Aang looked back at me recognizing the same list of materials that I had used the last winter we had a hundred years ago.

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"They're coming!" A little girl shouted as she leaned over the edge of the parapet and pointed at the incoming Fire Nation soldiers.

"Are we ready?" Teo asked.

"Yes." Katara replied then looked around, "But where's Sokka with the war balloon?"

"We'll have to start without it." Aang stated as he jumped off Appa's head, his glider in hand.

"I'm almost done here," I said still working on my little project.

Aang nodded at me and gave the signal to the other flyers. They took a running jump from the parapet, flying through the clouds towards the incoming soldiers. I worked quicker and finished just as grappling hooks latched onto the cliff face below. Aang managed to knock one off but the tank on the other end of it launched another one.

"Xena, where are you?" Aang shouted.

"Right here."

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**And now a word from our sponsors. ****_The Avatar's Guardian_**** will be back in a moment.**

**Just Kidding.**

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I run forward and jumped into the air. With a quick twist I brought the wooden board under my feet and managed to latch the leather strips over my feet. _I hope this works._

_"_Xena, where are you?" Aang shouted.

"Right here," I shout back just as my board hits the snow. I slid down the slope and turned 90 degrees to stop short of the edge of the cliff next to him.

"Go talk to Teo and see if he knows how these things work. I'll slow them down." Aang nodded before taking off on his glider. I survey the hooks to see if they're embedded in the snow or in the stone not that it will matter. I twist slightly at the waist to look behind me. I take a deep breath and punch a ball of fire behind me at the top of the slope. There's a loud rumbling sound as the fireball cases an avalanche. I push myself off the cliff edge between two of the hooks. A firebender in one of the tanks launches a fire blast at me. I twist slightly to avoid it and crouch done on the snowboard. There's a loud roar as the avalanche sweeps over the cliff knocking all the grappling hooks off and stopping the tanks from launching new ones. I press down on a switch on my board. With a soft swish the glider wings attached to the board open and catch the air. I hit the snow at the bottom of the cliff and swipe my arms down bending the snow and making myself go faster. A few seconds later and I heard a loud explosion from the other side of the temple. The sound makes my head whip around. _What the hell is going on?_

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"I'm surprised Sokka you really outdone yourself this time," I complement slapping his back.

"And what about you, Xena?"

"What about me?"

"You cleared the whole enter side of the temple with that avalanche," Katara said smiling. I shrug my shoulders and leaned against my snowboard.

"You know what? I'm really glad you guys all live here now." Aang said smiling at Teo and his father. "I realized it's like the hermit crab." Aang continued as he picked up the little creature, "Maybe you weren't born here, but you found this empty shell and made it your home. And now you protect each other."

"That means a lot," Teo stated gratefully as he smiled up at Aang, "Coming from you."

"Aang, you were right about air power." Sokka commented suddenly as he grinned and pointed at the sky, "As long as we got skies, we'll have the Fire Nation on the run!" The whole temple rang with cheers as everyone celebrated the small victory._ The Avatar brings hope._

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-Zuko PoV-

Zuko stood, tilting his head back to look at the almost full moon. He had to get over his feelings for Xena because whether he liked it or not they were enemies. He would capture the Avatar to regain his honor and go home; nothing would stand in his way not even the Avatar's Guardian.

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while; I've been distracted with the new game I bought for my birthday. It's Avatar: The Last Airbender for Wii. So what do you guys think of this chapter?**


	17. Ch16: The Waterbending Master

**Chapter Sixteen: The Waterbending Master**

**-This chapter and the next two are all going to be done in 3rd person and will contain all scenes with Zuko in them-**

"I'm not one to complain," Sokka started as Appa soared lazily over the ocean, "But can't Appa fly any higher?"

Aang turned his head to glare at him, "I have an idea! Why don't we all get on _your_ back and you could fly us to the North Pole!"

"I'd love to." Sokka retorted sarcastically and began shaking his rear at Aang, "Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff." Momo took him literally and jumped onto his back, chattering. Xena sighed and grabbed the lemur pulling it into her lap.

"Look," Katara mediated, "We're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight."

"And for what?" Sokka demanded as he gestured with one arm, "We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here!"

"Actually we're pretty clos-" The sound of splashing interrupted her as a large ice spike appeared in front of Appa.

"AHHH!" Aang screamed as he jerked Appa's reins to the side. Appa swerved around several more ice spikes. Appa tried to fly higher avoid another spike but the ice grabbed onto one of his paws, causing him to spin out of control. Xena grabbed the side of the saddle with Momo clinging tightly to her blue parka. Katara and Sokka were forced to do the same as the bison hit the water with a splash. He roared loudly as the water around him froze, keeping him in place.

"They're waterbenders!" Katara shouted excitedly when she saw the numerous boats begin to surround them, "We found the Water Tribe."

"It's more like they found us." Sokka groaned. Xena shifted into a sitting position flipping her hood up. Aang glanced back at her understanding her uneasiness of being back in her homeland.

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There's it is!" Aang exclaimed excitedly as he pointed towards the magnificent wall of thick ice that surrounded the Northern Water Tribe's city.

"The Northern Water…" Katara said in an awed whisper as she held one hand to her chest in amazement.

"We're finally here." Sokka added, his own voice sounding surprised as he gazed at the wall.

"Great," Xena said sarcastically tugging her hood down lower. The trio ignored her and watched as a couple waterbenders in one of the boats waterbended a portion of the wall. Aang grinned and snapped Appa's reins, urging the sky bison forward. Appa stopped in the middle of a large square area in front of another wall and waterbenders standing atop of the walls used waterbending to simultaneously lower the wall in front of them and add more water into the area.

"I can't believe how many Waterbenders live up here!" Katara commented as she looked around.

"We'll find a master to teach us, no problem." Aang agreed. Appa swam into the channels of the city. The villagers were staring at them in surprise and awe as Appa swam past them. Aang grinned widely and waved. A small canoe with a white-haired girl sitting primly at the front past them. Sokka blushed as soon as he sees her.

"This place is beautiful." Katara commented.

"Yeah…" Sokka said dreamily as he looked after the white-haired girl a, "She is…" No one noticed how Xena cuddled Momo protectively.

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"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sisters from the Southern Tribe. And they brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now…The Avatar!" Chief Arnook said grandly, gesturing to the four friends. Xena frowns slightly at the small lie of her coming from the Southern Tribe as four men lowered a giant crab into a pool of boiling water. The crowd cheered and applauded, "We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!' The Princess stepped forward with two older women walking on either side and slightly behind her. She smiled and briefly bowed her head towards her father.

"Thank you, Father," she said graciously then addressed the crowd, "May the great Ocean and Moon spirits watch over us during these troubled times!"

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" Arnook exclaimed.

An older man, Master Pakku and his two young students began waterbending to significant bubbles of water from three large jugs in front of the raised platform. Katara and Aang watched in rapt attention and Xena narrowed her eyes slightly. The traditional waterbending the performance was supposed to tell the tale of two lovers learning waterbending from the moon or from the ocean. It was supposed to be done by a female and male student with either a female teacher that played the moon or a male teacher playing the ocean. Princess Yue walked over and sat down beside Sokka, who was shoveling food in his mouth without reserve. Sokka swallowed his mouthful of food then brush his hands off and leaned one elbow against the table, looking at the princess nonchalantly.

"Hi, there." Sokka greeted, "Sokka, Southern Water Tribe."

"Very nice to meet you." Yue replied with an inclination of her head, and then the two looked away from each other awkwardly.

"So…ugh…you're a princess, huh?" Sokka stuttered nervously then cleared his throat, trying to sound manly, "You know, back in my tribe, I'm kinda like a prince, myself."

"Ha, prince of what?" Katara quipped with a snicker as she leaned over her brother's shoulder slightly.

"A lot of things!" Sokka said defensively his voice cracking at the end, "Do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here."

"My apologies, _Prince _Sokka." Katara drawled sarcastically.

Sokka glared at her for a moment then turned back to Yue, "So, it looks like I'm going to be in town for a while. I'm thinking…maybe we could…do an activity, together?"

"Do an activity?" Yue asked, slightly confused as she laughed quietly. Sokka blushed in embarrassment and shoved some food in his mouth to cover it up. Chief Arnook motioned Aang to follow him and Xena glanced after him before excusing herself from the table and leaving. She hated being back in the Northern Water Tribe and she hated that she had decided to lie and act like she was from the Southern Water Tribe.

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Iroh eased open the metal door to his nephew's room. "For the last time. I'm not playing the tsungi horn!"

"No, it's about our plans." Iroh said worriedly as he looked at his nephew carefully and stepped further into the dimly lit room, "There's a bit of a problem." Zhao stepped into the room, standing slightly behind Iroh as he stared at the banished prince coldly.

"I'm taking your crew," he stated matter-of-factly.

"What?!" Zuko demanded.

"I'm taking them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao said with a smirk as he stepped forward.

"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko asked in disbelief as he looked over Zhao's shoulder at his uncle.

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone." Iroh confirmed then covered his eyes with his arm in sadness, "Even the cook."

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar." Zhao sneered, "But I can't have you getting in my way again." Zuko growled and stepped towards Zhao, his hands smoking.

"No!" Iroh gasped stopping him. Zhao over to the dao swords hanging on the wall.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko," Zhao stated with sudden interested as he removed one of the swords.

"I'm not." Zuko lied, "They're antiques, just decorative."

Zhao examined the dao sword in his hand as he addressed Iroh, "Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

"Just rumors, I don't think he's real."

"He's real all right. He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation," Zhao stated as handed the sword to Iroh.

"But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon," he continued as he walked towards the door, "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands…if you change your mind."

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"I've waited for this day my whole life!" Katara said excitedly as they walked up to the palace, "I finally get to learn from a real Waterbending master!" Xena frowned and glanced over at the other girl. She had difficulty believing that Katara was going to be taught at all. Something had definitely changed in a hundred years.

"Good morning, Master Pakku!" Aang greeted loudly with his arm raised in a wave, his loud greeting causing Master Pakku to drop the water he was bending.

"No, please, barge right in," Pakku said in a monotone voice as he lowered his arms, "I'm not concentrating or anything."

Aang grinned and gestured towards Katara standing between him, "This is my friend, Katara. The one I told you about?" Katara bowed slightly in respect.

"I'm sorry, I think there's been a misunderstanding," Pakku stated, "You didn't tell me your friend was a girl. In our tribe, it is _forbidden_ for women to learn Waterbending."

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" Katara demanded angrily a, "I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no!"

"No." Pakku said coolly. Xena's eyes narrowed.

"But there must be other female Waterbenders in your tribe!" Katara protested.

"Here, the women learn from Yugoda to use their Waterbending to heal." Pakku replied, "I'm sure she would be happy to take you as he student, despite your bad attitude."

"I don't want to heal!" Katara shouted furiously, throwing her arms up, "I want to fight!"

"I can see that." Pakku commented drily as he looked at Katara with superiority, "But our tribe has customs, rules."

"Well, your rules stink!" Katara retorted with a huff.

"Yeah, they're not fair!" Aang agreed, glaring at Pakku, "If you won't teach Katara, then-"

"Then what?" Pakku asked impassively as he stood and stared Aang down.

"Then I won't learn from you!" Aang shouted and turned away from him.

"Well, have fun teaching yourself!" Pakku scoffed as he watched the young monk walk away, "I'm sure you'll do a great job."

"Wait! Aang didn't mean that!" Katara said quickly to Pakku then rushed after Aang. Xena glanced back at them before turning to face Pakku.

"You do know that there are other waterbenders that can teach him right. Ones that aren't your students anymore."

"And you have even less reason to be here then she does," Pakku observed.

"Come on, Xena," Katara called. She turned to leave, almost smacking Pakku in the face with her braid.

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Xena practiced with her swords in the clear area in front of the healing hut. She made sure she stayed in the Water Tribe styles so that no one could guess who she was though she doubted they would. Twisting her body into a spin she slashed out a half circle with her swords

"You're pretty good with those swords," a boy said leaning against the side of the healing hut. Xena had known he was there for a while but had chosen to ignore it.

"I had good teachers," she said sheathing her swords. The boy tilted his head slightly when she did so.

"Why do you wear your swords like that?" he asked.

"Because it makes for a quicker draw," Xena said pulling her parka back on.

"You're a Ōkami no senshi!" he gasps in surprise. Xena flinches slightly cursing herself for not washing off the paint.

"So."

"I'm sorry it's just that the warriors told us that no one was left behind when they came here," he explained to her. Xena hissed softly, she hopes that this boy doesn't try to introduce her to the other warriors.

"My names Shun."

"Xena," she says shaking his outstretched hand.

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"The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels." Iroh said to his nephew as he walked into the dimly lit room.

"Good riddance to those traitors." Zuko snapped in reply, lying down on his bed with his arms crossed.

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your head." Iroh suggested hopefully then sighed when he got no response, "Or just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy." Zuko sighed and rolled onto his side after his Uncle left. He held Xena's bracelet in his hand thoughtfully and had just slid it onto his wrist when he heard a loud squeak. He sat up and swung his legs off his be.

"Uncle?" He called out carefully as he stood up, grabbed his dao swords and walked over to the door, "Uncle, is that you?" He jumped into the hall in a firebending kata when he got no reply. He walked down the hall warily. Zuko headed into the navigation room and looked curiously, sheathing his swords at his belt, and rubbing the back of his head.

"Rawwk!" Zuko's eyes widened when he saw the familiar reptile-bird that had belonged to the pirates. Realization dawned on the scarred firebending prince just as an explosion rocked the ship. He screamed as they blast blew him out a window.

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"How's warrior training going?" Katara asked.

"That bad?" Aang asked when Sokka kicked his bag then fell face first onto it.

"No, it's Princess Yue." Sokka growled angrily, "I don't get it, one minute she wants to go out with me and the next she's telling me to get lost." He turned to Katara changing the subject, "So, how's waterbending training?"

"Master Poophead won't teach her because she's a girl." Aang answered as Katara buried her face in her pillow.

"Why don't you teach her, Aang?" Sokka suggested.

"I don't thin-"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Katara exclaimed cutting Xena off, "Every night, you can teach me whatever moves you learn from Master Pakku! That way, you have someone to practice with, and I get to learn waterbending! Everyone's happy!"

"I'm not happy." Sokka mumbled in irritation.

"Come on, Aang." Katara said eagerly pulling Aang out of the room. Xena sighed in exasperation and stared at the ceiling.

"Xena can you-"

"I'm not giving you girl advice," Xena said cutting him off. The Water Tribe boy sat up and stared at her.

"Why not?"

"It's complicated," she said rolling onto her side, thoughts on Drake and Zuko.

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"What do you want me to do?" Chief Arnook asked, "Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?"

"Yes." Katara said as she looked at the Northern Water Tribe chief pleadingly, "Please!"

"I suspect he might change his mind," Arnook began as he looked at her, "If you swallow your pride and apologize to him."

"Fine." Katara agreed reluctantly and turned to face the master waterbender.

"I'm waiting, little girl." Pakku commented with a sneer.

"I'm sorry for going behind your back and having Aang teach me," she said staring at the ground. Xena's hands clenched angrily and she barely managed to keep from shattering two water jars

"Very well then I'll take the Avatar back as my student," he said crossing his arms in his sleeves. Katara scowled and together the four friends left the council room. Sokka and Aang comforted Katara not noticing the hateful glare Xena shot Pakku as he passed. She didn't think she just acted.

Pakku doesn't flinch as the water whip snaps inches away from his face. He sighs and turns to face Katara but blinks in shock, because the one in the bending stance is the other girl. She straightens up and steps forward.

"You're a waterbender," he says drily.

"Among other things," she said, "I want to know why you refuse to teach girls."

"its tradition," he answers simply.

"How long has it been a tradition? she asks smirking when he doesn't answer right away.

"Five hundred years."

"Tch," she clicked her tongue, "unfortunately no it's been less than a hundred, not nearly long enough to be a tradition."

"And how would you know unless you were there a hundred years ago?"

"But I was," she stated and lashed out with another water whip. He redirected it back at her but she easily dodge, the water hitting Sokka instead. She created a pillar of ice and bended ice disks at him. He easily dodged or knocked them away by hitting the flat undersides. He caught her last one with bending and sent it back at her. She punched the razor edged side, using her bending to avoid being cut as it exploded. He created ice daggers and threw them at her. She crossed her arms to pull her swords, creating an X when she drew them as well as cutting the ice daggers out of the air. Pakku launched a large wave at her while she was distracted. The wave slammed into her and pushed her back several feet but she dug her swords into the ground to stop. She glared at him and released her swords to slap the ground in a move similar to earthbending. An ice spike stabbed upward slamming into his stomach throwing him back into a fountain. He growled standing up.

"Who are you?" She smirked, flipped her hands over so the palms were up and stood up slowly. Snow and water rose into the air creating a thick fog. Bystanders whispered to themselves in surprise unable to see either bender. Suddenly the fog turned back to water revealing Xena with a sword to Pakku's throat.

"I am Xena of the Northern Water Tribe, a Ōkami no senshi, and ... The Avatar's Guardian." Chief Arnook stepped forward as several people gasped.

"Why did you lie to us before?"

"I wasn't exactly popular with my tribe," she said with a shrug, before turning to Pakku, "will you teach Katara and any other girl that wants to learn?"

"I will," he answered and then smiled," also you may find it interesting to know that my father was your brother.

"That means you're my nephew," she said in surprise and then frowned slightly," that's actually kind of creepy."

"Xena," Aang shouted and hugged her. She stepped back to keep her balance ... and slipped on the ice. When Katara helped them back up her necklace fell off. Pakku scooped down to pick it up and automatically recognized the carving.

"This is my necklace. I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life… for Kanna."

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?" Katara asked in stunned surprise.

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"Our plan is working perfectly," Iroh stated calmly, "Zhao doesn't suspect a thing."

Zuko removed the mask from his helmet, "You didn't have to do this."

"No nephew of mine is going to stow away on a ship without some backup." Iroh replied as he looked at his disguised nephew.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Iroh looked down the hallway when he heard a door open, "Someone's coming. Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole and the Avatar will be yours. Good luck." Zuko replaced the mask and put his hand on the hilts of his dao swords as he walked away from his Uncle.

**Two more chapters till book one is done. Please review and tell me what you think.**

**-Avatar Wolfheart**


	18. Ch17: The Siege of the North Pt1

**Chapter Seventeen: Siege of the North Pt.1**

Xena watched in amusement as Katara easily defeats a young male waterbender.

"Nice try, Pupil Sangok. A couple more years and you might be ready to fight a sea sponge." Pakku commented dryly as he walked past a smirking Katara and unfroze the ice trapping the boy, "Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara?" Several tired boys shake their heads no.

"Katara," Pakku began, "You've advanced for quickly than any student I've ever trained. You have proven that with fierce determination, passion, and hard work, you can accomplish anything. Raw talent alone is not enough." Pakku turned his head to look at Aang, who was playing with Momo, "Pupil Aang!"

The airball disappeared and Aang turned to look at Pakku, "Yes, Master Pakku?"

"Care to step into the sparring circle?" Pakku asked as he uncrossed his arms and gave Aang a stern look, "I figure since you've found time to play with house pets, you must have already mastered waterbending."

"I wouldn't say mastered," Aang replied as he got to his feet, "But check this out."

Aang bended some of the snow around him onto himself making him into a snow snowman, and was knocked down my Momo promptly. The waterbending master shaking his head in disappointment. Xena smiled and heaved her snowboard onto her shoulder before leaving the training area. She hiked out of the city up a slope planning on boarding but soot soon began falling mixed in with the snow. She cussed and automatically slide down the slope on her snowboard, opening the sail made out of glider wings to go faster.

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"We'll be landing soon." Iroh whispered to Zuko as they stood in a dark hallway, "Do you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it, Uncle." Zuko replied, removing the mask from his helmet. Iroh nodded and the two seperated heading thir seperate ways. But not before Iroh noticed the bracelet on Zuko's wrist.

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"The day we have feared for so long had arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep." Arnook addressed the people gathered in the palace, "It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe, but they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits. Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!"

Arnook looked at the people sitting in front of him, "I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

"Count me in!" Sokka called out as he stood.

"Sokka…" Katara said in protest. Xena almost stood up as well but decided she best stick with Aang.

"Be warned, many of you will not return. Come forward and receive my mark, if you accept the task." Arnook said as several more Water Tribe men rose and walked forward.

Arnook painted three red lines on Sokka's forehead.

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Aang stood outside of the palace, looking out at the city with Xena beside him.

"The stillness before the battle is unbearable." Arnook commented as he approached them, "Such quiet dread."

"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people." Aang said quietly as Katara joined them, "I'm going to make a difference this time."

"We both will," Xena agreed placing a hand on his shoulder, "For Korra and Drake. Katara and Arnook blinked in surprise at the unfamiliar names which Aang added more to.

"As well as Tami, Tamsin, Rivon, and Kuzon," he said meeting her gaze evenly.

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They stood together on the wall watching the Fire Nation ship get closers.

"Fireball!" Xena shouted just as the ball collided with the wall, sending everyone flying. Aang and Xena leapt onto Appa's head with Aang grabbed the reins.

"Yip-yip!" Appa roared and jumped into the air, flying quickly towards the fleet of Fire Nation ships as more fireballs were launched at the city. When they got close enough Aang stood up with his glider just as Xena finished strapping the snowboard onto her feet. She had made it so that she could use it on water if she needed to and now was as good a time as any to test it out.

"We'll take it from here, boy," Aang said before jumping into open air. Xena followed soon after, twisting in the air so she wouldn't end up as a human skipping stone. She hits the water and has to pinwheel her arms to keep her balance before launching herself at the first ship. She bends water to make a long spear which she launched at the ship bending more water around it as it moves making it sharper and thicker so it won't shatter on impact. It hits the side of the ship and manages to penetrate it but she has to bend a wave into it to so it doesn't act like a plug. She surfs around the ship ready to do the same with as many others as she can.

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Appa dropped Xena out of his paw before flopping to the ground next to her. Aang jumped off of Appa's head while she flopped backward into the snow without removing har board

"I can't do it…" Aang muttered, holding his head in his hands and sitting on the ground next to her just as Katara and Yue run up, "I can't do it." Xena patted his knee in comfort still gasping for breath

"What happened?" Katara asked worriedly.

"We must have taken out thirty Fire Navy ships between us," Aang said as he looked up at the two girls, "but there's just too many of them. Xena and I can't fight them all."

"But, you have to," Yue said pleadingly, "You're the Avatar."

"Yeah, but I'm only one kid," he retorted. Xena pulled herself up to sit next to him and hugged him in comfort.

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Iroh walked into the room. Zuko glanced over his shoulder at him then continued to wind up the rope in his hand as he prepared a small boat.

"If you're fishing for an octopus my nephew, you need a tightly woven net," Iroh said as he looked at his nephew, who was now wearing a completely white outfit with his swords at his side., "Or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape."

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle."

"I'm sorry. I just nag you, because, well," Iroh voice broke slightly and he closed his eyes, "Ever since I lost my son…"

"Uncle," Zuko closed his own eyes tightly, "You don't have say it."

"I think of you as my own."

Zuko turned to his uncle and his expression softened. "I know, Uncle. We'll meet again," Zuko said as he bowed and hugged his uncle tightly before pulling away and turned back to the small boat. "After I have the Avatar." He climbed into the boat and started to lower it to the icy water below.

"Remember your breath of fire." Iroh reminded, "It could save your life out there."

"I will," Zuko replied, as he continued to lower the boat.

"And put your hood up. Keep your ears warm!"

"I'll be fine!" Zuko called back in exasperation as the boat finally hit the water. Zuko navigated the small boat through the path of ice spikes in front of the city and lifted the paddle out of the water as he watched the top of the wall carefully. He quickly paddled over to an ice flow near the wall then climbed up to an ice spike, peering around it cautiously to look at the patrol walking along the wall. He turned away and began to walk back to his boat but paused when he heard the turtle-seals barking a little bit to his left. He watched as three of them dove into a hole in the ice.

"Where are they going?" He muttered to himself as he looked at his reflection in the breathing hole, "They're coming up for air somewhere…" He pulled down the mask covering his mouth and nose before plunging head first into the icy water.

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"The legends say the moon was the first Waterbender," Yue stated as she looked up at the moon, "Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves."

"I've always noticed my Waterbending is stronger at night." Katara commented as she glanced over at Yue.

"Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon. Our life comes from the spirit of the ocean." Yue explained, "They work together to keep balance." Aang's expression suddenly brightened as an idea hit him.

"The spirits!" He exclaimed eagerly, startling Momo, "Maybe I can find them and get their help!"

"How can you do that?" Yue asked in confusion.

"That Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World," Xena explained leaning against her snow board, "Aang can talk to them!"

Yue looked at Aang, "Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!"

"Or maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Aang replied as he waved his arms out excitedly. KAtara and Yue looked at him like he was crazy.

Aang let his arms drop back to his sides, his expression sheepish, "Or wisdom. That's good, too."

"The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident." Katara said, giving Aang a worried look, "How are you going to get there this time?"

"I have an idea." Yue said suddenly, "Follow me." Yue showed them a small wooden door located in the middle of the wall behind the palace.

"So, is this the way into the Spirit World?" Aang asked as he approached the door and looked at it curiously.

"No. You'll have to get there on your own," Yue said with a laugh, "But I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole." Aang gasped in amazement as they walked into a small oasis with a waterfall. He rushed forward and began rolling around on the grass.

"I never thought I'd miss grass this much!" Aang said happily as the three girls joined him.

"It's so warm here!" Katara said in amazement, "How is that possible?"

"It's the center of all spiritual energy in our land." Yue said as the girls removed their parkas.

Momo crawled over to the small pond in the middle of the oasis and stuck his paw into it to grab one of the two fishes. Xena grabbed him before he could succeed.

"You're right, Yue. I can feel…something. It's so tranquil," Aang said as he walked over to the gate at the base of the pond and sat down, positioning himself to meditate.

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Zuko gasped for breath as he emerged from the freezing cold water and climbed out of the hole in the ice, lying on his back. The prince he breathed fire to warm himself back up.

"Be quiet!" he snarled at the barking turtle-seals as he stood up. The turtle-seals quiet down instantly for a few seconds before barking again as Zuko passes. Further back into the cave was another opening with water pouring out. Zuko inhaled deeply again before making his way through the channel. He gritted his teeth in determination as he continued to climb up the channel of water. He rose to the top when he entered a bigger cave so he could take deep breaths before he went back under. His eyes narrowed when he spotted another channel and he quickly swam into it. He tried to resurface after he swam a little deeper, but a thick patch of ice was in the way. Zuko tried to break the ice by pounding his fists against it unsuccessfully. He closed his eyes for a moment then snapped them open. He pressed his to the ice and used firebending to melt it. Zuko gasped as he lunged upward and into a small tunnel way in the city.

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"Why is he sitting like that?" Yue asked quietly.

"He's meditating, trying to cross over into the Spirit World." Katara replied, not noticing the way Aang's face scrunched up , "It takes all his concentration."

"Is there any way we can help?" Yue questioned and Xena smirked quietly about to respond..

"How about some quiet?" Aang snapped angrily as he glared at Katara and Yue over his shoulder, "Come on, guys, I can hear every word you're saying!" Aang turned back around, staring at the two koi fish. His tattoos began to glow blue-white.

"Is he okay?" Yue asked worried.

"He's fine," Xena answered stepping close to Aang, "He's crossing into the Spirit World. We just can't move his body."

"Why not?" Yue asked curiously.

"That's his way back to the physical world," Katara explained.

"Maybe we should get some help," she suggested.

"No, I'm capable of protecting him myself," Xena tells her, eyes turning completely silver, "but you might want to get Sokka just in case." Katara and Yue exchange confused glances just as Xena turns quickly pulling her swords free.

"I know you're there, Zuko."

'Guardian," he says stepping into the open. Katara and Yue run to get Sokka. Zuko slides forward pulling his swords. She waits for him to make the first move. His hands tighten on the hilts of his swords before he lunges. Xena shifts gracefully so one sword misses her face by a centimeter and the other is batted away to the side. She slashes with her other sword and he jumps backwards. They exchange a couple more blows until their swords are pressed against each other. Xena struggles to push him back.

"Why do you protect the Avatar?" he asks forcing her back a few inches," isn't he the reason your own father hated you and the reason why you lost your fiance."

"Aang has nothing to do with that," she snapped, stepping back quickly to disengage. He stumbled forward unbalanced and she tripped him. Growling, he kicked a wave of fire at her when he jumped back up.

"Why do you care anyway?" She asked blocking his fire with her own. In response he punched a fire ball at her face. She frowned wondering why he cared so much, dodging to the side. The silver color of her eyes darkened to a stormy gray. _Surely he didn't ... no, that was crazy._ He slashed fire with his swords. Suddenly she flipped her swords to her forearms and bent water out of the oasis at him. She raised her arms, trapping him in a wall of ice.

"You forget, I rise with the moon," she snaps, turning her back to him to check on Aang. Part of her had hoped that Zuko would of changed knowing what her father had down to her. That same part had hoped that the kiss had meant something and maybe that he didn't want her protecting Aang so they wouldn't have to fight. She turns to ask him but in her distraction the sun had rose and Zuko had broken out of the ice. He punched a fire ball at her. She didn't have time to block and she was thrown backwards into the gate. Blood ran down the side of her temple from where her head had slammed into the wood. Xena fell to her knees trying to stay conscious, her vision blurry. It cleared briefly to reveal Zuko with Aang thrown over his shoulder.

"You may rise with the moon but I rise with the sun." Her eyes slid closed as she slumped down onto the grassy ground in unconsciousness. Zuko blasted a hole through the wall of the oasis as he left into the unforgiving tundra of the North Pole. Ignoring his feelings of guilt for leaving her to possible bleed to death he continued to stride forward. Sunlight glinted of a silver and gold bracelet, and a small piece of bone with intricate designs lay in the bottom of a pool forgotten.

* * *

**One more chapter to go before the second book begins. It will be named _'Torn Between'._ R&R.**


	19. Ch18: The Siege of The North Pt2

**Chapter Eighteen: Siege of the North Pt.2**

**Hey guys. This is the last chapter of Book One: The Avatar's Guardian. There's going to be a lot going on in this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it and review at the end.**

_Xena watched Aang as he paced on the terrace. She knew that he was upset about being the Avatar but she knew he would be even more upset when he found out that she was his guardian. With a soft sigh she rolled onto her back in the damp grass still watching him in concern. Silently she promised to always protect him with everything she had even if it meant giving up her own life or taking a life. Aang noticed her for the first time and sat beside her. She stayed quite sensing he was about to say something._

_"Xena, why do you think the spirits chose me to be the Avatar?"_

_"That's a tough question to answer but if I was a spirit I would have chosen you because of your compassion and love for life as well as your ability to think outside the box," she answered, putting her arms behind her head._

_"What if I mess up?"_

_"Everyone messes up at one point or another and all you can do is accept it and learn from it and Aang…"_

_"Yeah."_

_"You may be the Avatar but that doesn't change who _you_ are so no matter what promise me you'll stay true to yourself above all others."_

_"I promise," he whispers and lies down next to her looking up at the cloudy sky._

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Xena woke up with a jolt, startling Katara who had been healing her burns. She groaned and put a hand to her throbbing forehead.

"Careful, you got hurt pretty badly," Katara cautions.

"I'll be fine," she growled pushing herself up into a standing position. Sokka catches her elbow when she sways.

"Xena, you need to take it easy," he said. She pulled away from him and shook her head.

"It's all my fault. I should have paid more attention to Zuko if I had Aang wouldn't be gone."

"You did the best you could," Katara says standing up, trying to make the other girl meet her eyes. Xena took a shaky breath staring stubbornly at the ground. She wasn't done yet and she would make Zuko pay for taking Aang.

"Zuko couldn't have gotten far. We'll find him," Sokka stated confidently, "Aang's gonna be fine, Xena."

"He has to be," she said looking up. Her eyes weren't the brown that they usually were and they weren't silver either. They were a bright sapphire blue that showed her Water Tribe roots. Sokka kept his concern over her eye color to himself and climbed onto Appa's head.

Katara crouched down next to Momo, "You stay here, Momo, incase Aang comes back, okay?" Xena, Yue, and Katara climbed up into Appa's saddle.

"Yip-yip!" Appa bellowed and leapt into the air. Outside the oasis a blizzard was whipping snow into a frenzy, almost like the spirits were as upset with Aang's capture as Xena was.

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Zuko trudged through the knee-high snow as the blizzard raged around him. His lower face was covered by a white fabric and he had pulled his hood up to keep in some warmth as he walked. He glanced down at the bracelet around his wrist as he walked. When he had been fighting Xena it had suddenly dawned on him that she didn't owe anything to the Avatar, especially since it was his fault that her life was so screwed up. He thought he might be able to convince her to stop fighting because in the few days she had been on his ship he had felt like he had made a friend. _Was it possible to be friends with your enemy?_ With a soft sigh he stopped walking and shook his head. He needed to stop thinking about her, they were enemies and if she was still alive she would come after him to reclaim the Avatar. He couldn't let that happen though because the Avatar was his ticket home. He put his head down and began walking again ignoring the way the wind tried to push him back towards the oasis. His eyes went wide in surprise as the ice beneath his feet began cracking suddenly. It splintered and started to collapse. Zuko started running forward, as the ice continued to break around him. He was suddenly thrown off-balance and was thrown a couple feet away landing roughly in the snow, losing his grip on the Avatar. Zuko raised his head, observing the aftermath of the ice breaking. Dark water lapped at the jagged ice. The prince looked around and sighed in relief when he spotted a cave several feet away.

"Shelter," he muttered in relief, grabbing the Avatar by his shirt collar and dragged him to the cave. He tied the other boy's hands behind his back just in case he woke up.

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_"Good job idiot. Instead of chasing him back you chased him forward," La said sarcastically._

_"Like your blizzard is doing much better," Tui snapped back angrily._

_"Well, then you come up with an idea to turn that stubborn firebender around and send him back to Xena."_

_"Why are you so sure they're meant to be together?"_

_"Instinct," the Moon Spirit said proudly. Her partner face palmed silently in disbelief._

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"I finally have you, but I can't get you home because of this blizzard," Zuko muttered as he stood in the mouth of the cave, "There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister. Everything always came easy to her. She's a firebending prodigy, and everyone adores her. My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck, though. I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."

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"Don't worry," Yue said as she tried to comfort Katara, "he can't be getting too far in this weather."

"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard," Katara replied distantly as she stared at the rapidly falling snow, "I'm worried that they won't."

"They're not going to die in this blizzard," Sokka stated looking back at her, "If we know anything, it's that Zuko never gives up. They'll survive, and we'll find them." Xena stared out into the snow reaching out with her heat vision and through her spiritual bond to Aang. Katara looked at the snow below as Sokka continued flying Appa when a flash of light caught her eye.

"Look!" she shouted as she pointed at the light, "That's got to be Aang." Xena's eyes narrowed and she tracked the lights path.

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Aang's eyes snapped open and he gasped quietly as he came back to his body. He noticed the rope immediately and started to struggle against his binding only to stop when he noticed Zuko.

"Welcome back," Zuko said drily.

"Good to be back," Aang responded. He inhaled sharply before airbending Zuko into a wall and propelling himself backwards out of the cave with a strong exhale. He tried to inch his way through the snow like a worm when Zuko caught his collar

"That won't be enough to escape," Zuko said.

Aang's eyes widened and he grinned at the familiar sky bison flying towards them, "Appa!"

He landed a few feet away from them with a thump. Zuko tossed Aang to the side as Xena jumped from the saddle pulling her swords free before her feet even touched the ground.

"Here for a rematch?" he asked with a sneer, to hide his flinch at seeing the burns on her upper arms and part of her face.

"It's not gonna be much of a match," she retorted, her eyes flared silver as she slashed an X with her swords. The fire was like nothing he'd seen before. It started out blue in the middle and faded to silver and finally white on the edges. He split the fire with his own losing sight of her for a split second. When he looked again she was gone. He twisted as a battle cry came from his left but wasn't fast enough to dodge as her foot slammed into his stomach, water had followed her movement and punched him backwards. He was knocked out cold when his head bounced off the ice.

"Hey, this is some quality rope," Sokka commented as he held the rope from freeing Aang in his hand.

"We need to get to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble!" Aang said suddenly as he leapt to his feet and rushed towards Appa. Xena followed not once glancing back at the felled firebender.

Aang hesitated though, "Wait, we can't just leave him here."

"Sure we can." Sokka replied easily as he motioned for Aang to hurry, "Let's go."

"No, if we leave him, he'll die." Aang said, turning back to Zuko.

"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense." Sokka said sarcastically as Aang came back, airbending himself and Zuko into the saddle, "Bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us." Xena sat as far away from him as she could. With a soft sigh her eyes returned to their usual color of brown and not the sapphire blue that they had been minutes before.

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_"Yeah, that's love right there," Tui said sarcastically, "she would have been more than happy to leave him there._

_"But she didn't," La replied with a smirk._

_"I'm just saying maybe we shouldn't try to interfere anymore," he said with a shrug._

_"I agree with that, it's also part of the reason why her eyes aren't blue anymo-" La suddenly paled and swayed sharply, gasping for breath._

_"La," Tui shouted grabbing her arm to steady her._

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Yue groaned and grabbed her head in pain as Appa flew back to the city just as the moon turned red. Xena gasped in surprise and shivered as her firebending vanished, leaving her without her bending.

"Are you two okay?" Sokka asked both girls in concern.

"I feel faint."

"I feel it too," Aang said as he held his head in one hand, "The Moon Spirit is in trouble."

"I owe the Moon Spirit my life," Yue said sadly.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.

"When I was born I was very sick and very weak," Yue explained quietly, "Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as if I was asleep, my eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die, but my father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew I would live." Xena turned towards her in surprise.

"The spirits work in mysterious ways, don't they?" Yue's eyes widened in surprise as she remembered the stories she had been told as a child.

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"They will call me, Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Moon Slayer, Zhao the Invincible!" Momo suddenly jumped on his head.

"Ugh! Get it off, get it off!" Momo flew over to Aang, landing on his arm. Both sides dropped into battle stances. Zhao blinked in surprise when he noticed the girl

"Don't bother," he growled as he held up the bag.

"Zhao, don't!" Aang protested as everyone straightened up.

"It's my destiny to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe," Zhao responded.

"Destroying the moon won't hurt just the Water Tribe," Aang said as he looked at the struggling fish, "It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of the balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world."

"He is right, Zhao."

"General Iroh," Zhao commented with an unsurprised look, "Why am I not surprised by your treachery?"

"I'm not traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs to the moon; too We all depend on the balance." Iroh stated as he removed the hood of his cloak then shifted into a bending stance, his tone becoming dangerous, "Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you ten-fold. Let it go now!"

Zhao sighed and released the white koi back into the pond, where it began circling around the black koi again as the moon returned to normal. Zhao straightened but suddenly in a fit of anger sent a blast of fire into the water, striking La. Iroh recoiled from the flames and Aang looked up as the moon completely vanished. Xena gasped in surprise just as Iroh retaliated with a large fireball. The firebending soldiers got in Iroh's way of destroying the demented admiral. Without her heat vision Xena had no way of knowing that Zuko escaped.

Iroh carefully lifted the Moon Spirit's body from the water, looking down with sadness and regret.

"There's no hope now," Yue said joining him, "It's over."

"No," Aang said suddenly, his eyes and arrows glowing as he entered the Avatar State, "It's not over."

Aang stood in the middle of the pond in a meditative stand as Tui began to circle around him, the fish's eyes and white dot. began to glow as well. Aang disappeared suddenly into the water and blue energy began to expand from the oasis island into the surrounding water, then through the oasis as it completely encompassed the ice and snow of the city. A large fish shaped monster rose from the water glowing blue with Aang in the center. Xena closed her eyes and dipped her head. She knew that Aang had to deal with this himself.

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Zuko punched a ball of fire in front of Zhao as he ran, forcing him to a skidding stop

"You're alive?" Zhao asked in disbelief.

"You tried to have me killed!" Zuko snarled then attacked Zhao violently. Zhao rolled to the side and shifted into his own bending stance a.

"Yes, I did," he sneered as Zuko approached, "You're the Blue Spirit, an enemy to the Fire Nation! You freed that girl!"

"I had no choice," Zuko stated as he sent multiple fireballs at Zhao.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure, your disgrace," Zhao replied harshly a, "Then at least you could have lived!" Zhao launched a powerful blast of fire at Zuko, who spun away and sent his own fireball at the man. Zhao ducked and swung his leg out, sending a wave of fire that the prince nimbly jumped over.

The admiral turned to face him and began attacking only for Zuko to dodge each of his attacks. Zuko lithely leapt over Zhao and blocked his next fireball with his forearm, and shot a blast into Zhao's side, knocking him off the wall. He jumped down onto the icy roadway.

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Iroh gently laid La's body back into the water. "It's too late," Katara murmured sadly as she sat beside Yue, "its dead." Iroh looked at the two girls beside him and blinked in surprise when he noticed the white-haired girl.

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit," He stated, "Some of its life is in you."

"Yes, you're right." Yue agreed in understanding, "It gave me life, maybe I can give it back."

"No!" Sokka protested instantly grabbing her shoulder, "You don't have to do that."

"It's my duty, Sokka," Yue replied evenly.

"I won't let you!" Sokka stated firmly a, "Your father told me to protect you!"

"I have to do this." Iroh picked the white koi fish up again and held it out for the princess. She reached out, placing her hands gently on the koi fish's body which began to glow as Yue closed her eyes. The koi fish stopped glowing and Yue fell with a soft groan, Sokka caught her before she hit the ground.

"No!" he cried out as he held Yue's body and pressed his hand to the side of her face, "She's gone, she's gone…" Xena closed her eyes gently. Sokka held Yue's body gently in his arms, his head bowed over her. Yue's body faded then disappeared entirely and the koi fish's body began to glow white again. Iroh hurriedly placed the koi back into the water and it began to swim around while the entire pond began to glow white. The white energy collected in the middle of the pond then it rose up into the air, forming an image of Yue.

"Goodbye, Sokka. I'll always be with you," Yue's spirit said as she floated down slightly and cupped his face, pressing her lips to his in a gently kiss then she faded away. The moon appeared in the sky and the waterbenders regained control over their element.

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Zuko ducked and spun to avoid the blasts Zhao launched at him. Zuko sent his own powerful blast, knocking Zhao backwards. The banished prince pressed forward and continued to launch fireballs at Zhao until the older man fell onto his back. Zhao looked up at Zuko, his eyes widening when he saw the moon behind the younger man.

"It can't be!" he shouted in utter disbelief as he looked at the moon.

Zuko stared in shock as glowing water appeared on either side of the bridge above him and Zhao. He rolled out of the way quickly and got to his feet, watching in shock as the energy wrapped around Zhao in the shape of a hand and lifted the man up. Zuko raced forward and jumped onto the edge of the bridge, holding his hand out to Zhao.

"Take my hand!" Zuko ordered and stretched his arm out. The admiral started to reach for his hand but stopped and pulled his arm back stubbornly. Zuko watched in horror as he was pulled under the water.

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Everyone was gathered in front of the palace, except for Xena. She had grabbed a bag of supplies and her snow board before heading out of the city about a mile away. Zuko and Iroh had stolen a small fishing raft and had headed out of the city to launch it. Crouching behind a small snow rift she watched as they pushed the raft out into the water. Eventually she got the courage to stand up and she bent water around the straps of the bag until she had made a crude ice spear. With the aid of waterbending she managed to throw it and impale it in the bare mast. The two firebenders jumped and turned in surprise. Xena lifted her hand up in goodbye which Iroh happily returned. Zuko was more reluctant to but he did anyways. The young warrior took off on her board back to the city.

"I'm surprised Prince Zuko," Iroh stated as he watched the vanishing form, "Surprised that you are not at this moment trying to capture the Avatar."

"I'm tired," he responded removing the supplies from the mast.

"Then you should rest," he advised wisely, "A man needs his rest." Zuko complied and used the bag as a pillow as he stared up into the sky.

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Xena draped an arm over Aang's shoulders when she got back and noticed him standing on the parapet alone. Katara joined them and pulled them both into a hug. Sokka placed a hand on Katara's shoulder and Momo popped out of Aang's shirt with a screech. The four teens laugh as they stare out over the ocean at the setting moon.

**The end of Book 1: The Avatar's Guardian. As of today this story has 21 favorites, 24 follows, 14 reviews, and 61,425 words. Thank you all for supporting this story and I hope you will read Book 2: Torn Between which will soon be up. Please leave a review.**


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